ADRENAL-GLAND WEIGHT AND SUICIDE

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an anatomical co rrelate, namely adrenal hypertrophy, among people who have commited su icide. The adrenal weights and other relevant information were collect ed prospectively from 118 consecutive coroner's cases of sudden death in the province of Ontario. No statistically significant difference wa s found between the adrenal weights of those who had committed suicide , whether violent or non violent, and those dying suddenly of causes n ot self-inflicted. This was true irrespective of the age of the subjec ts, their sex or the centre at which the autopsy was performed. This f inding does not support the findings of an earlier report of increased adrenal weight in successful suicides. The incidental finding of incr eased adrenal weight in all subjects is of some significance.