Suicide in frontotemporal dementia and Huntington disease: analysis of family-reported pedigree data and implications for genetic healthcare for asymptomatic relatives

Abstract

Objective: Genomic testing for early-onset dementia is becoming more accessible, along with predictive testing for at-risk relatives; however, complex counselling issues are important to address. The topic of suicide often has stigma associated, and thoughts or experiences may not be volunteered without prompting. Little has been published with consideration to suicide rates in the context of family experiences and their significance in genetic counselling for relatives of people with Huntington disease and frontotemporal dementia. Design: This study included pedigree information for 267 symptomatic individuals with frontotemporal dementia or Huntington disease, provided via genetic counsell..