The authors discuss the issue of suicide in epilepsy with special attention to antiepileptic drugs & the assessment of suicide in people with epilepsy. It has been suggested that early medical treatment with antiepileptic drugs might potentially reduce suicide risk in people with epilepsy, but it is of great importance that the choice of drugs is tailored to the mental state of the patient. The issue of suicidality in epilepsy is likely to represent an example of how the underdiagnosis of psychiatric symptoms, the lack of input from professionals, & the delay in an optimized antiepileptic drug therapy may worsen prognosis with the occurrence of severe complications such as suicide. (30 refs.) JA