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Lyme Borreliosis and Associations With Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior: A Nationwide Danish Cohort Study

Lyme Borreliosis and Associations With Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior: A Nationwide Danish Cohort Study. Brian A. Fallon, M.D., M.P.H., Trine Madsen, Ph.D., Annette Erlangsen, Ph.D., Michael E. Benros, M.D., Ph.D. Published Online:28 Jul 2021 https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.20091347

“Having more than one episode of Lyme borreliosis was associated with increased incidence rate ratios for mental disorders, affective disorders, and suicide attempts, but not for death by suicide. Individuals diagnosed with Lyme borreliosis in the hospital setting had an increased risk of mental disorders, affective disorders, suicide attempts, and suicide. Although the absolute population risk is low, clinicians should be aware of potential psychiatric sequelae of this global disease.”

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Lyme Borreliosis and Associations With Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior: A Nationwide Danish Cohort Study
Fallon BA, Madsen T, Erlangsen A, Benros ME. Lyme Borreliosis and Associations With Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior: A Nationwide Danish Cohort Study. Am J Psychiatry. 2021 Oct 1;178(10):921-931. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.20091347. Epub 2021 Jul 28. PMID: 34315282.
  • Results showed that individuals with Lyme borreliosis had higher rates of mental disorders, affective disorders, suicide attempts, and death by suicide compared to those without Lyme borreliosis.
  • The 6-month interval after diagnosis had the highest rate of any mental disorder, and the first 3 years after diagnosis had the highest rate of suicide.
  • Multiple episodes of Lyme borreliosis were associated with increased incidence rate ratios for mental disorders, affective disorders, and suicide attempts.
  • Clinicians should be mindful of the potential psychiatric consequences of Lyme borreliosis, despite the low absolute population risk.