Tentamen suicidii, examen neurologiae: Attempted suicide with neurological symptoms. A case report

A 31-year-old woman was admitted to our intensive care department after a violent suicide attempt. There was no evidence of drug ingestion and no prior psychiatric history. Collateral history provided by her parents revealed unusual and abnormal behaviour in the preceding month. The patient tested positive for N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid and was treated with immunoglobulins, steroids and rituximab. After a lengthy stay in hospital and a rehabilitation clinic, she recovered almost fully. It is essential to consider a neurological disease in the event of attempted suicide, in particular in the absence of prior medical or psychiatric history.