Diabetes journal reviews the role of hypoglycemia in criminal behavior

Jan 31 2010

The latest issue of the journal Diabetic Hypoglycemia ( http://www.hypodiab.com) reviews the role of hypoglycemia in provoking crimes and misdemeanors.

Professor Vincent Marks, a leading authority on the forensic aspects of hypoglycemia and its role in criminal behavior, discusses how hypoglycemia-related neuroglycopenia can cause behavioral changes, which can bring people with diabetes into conflict with the law. "Hypoglycemia was recognized as a cause of strange behavior that amounted in some cases to criminality, within a few years of the introduction of insulin for treatment of diabetes", comments Professor Marks. He raises the question of whether a person suffering from neuroglycopenia can formulate the intention to commit an offence, going on to outline the medico-legal relevance of hypoglycemia, and to discuss the less common offence of malicious administration of insulin and/or a sulfonylurea as a weapon to induce hypoglycemic coma.

Professor Brian Frier's related editorial describes the problem of managing diabetes in people in police custody or long-term imprisonment. Highlighting the fact that custodial conditions can be conducive to the development of hypoglycemia in people with diabetes, Professor Frier suggests that greater communication between diabetes specialist services and the police and prison services should be encouraged, to assist their understanding of this medical disorder and avoid the development of significant hypoglycemia and perpetuation of suboptimal glycemic control in such situations.