Formication, tactile hallucinations, delusional parasitosis, and Morgellons: Enough to make your skin crawl

Dowben, Jonathan S.; Kowalski, Peter; Keltner, Norman L.

doi:10.1111/ppc.12246

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…There is considerable overlap in the symptoms of drug-induced tactile hallucinations and secondary delusional infestation that may represent a spectrum of the disorder. Dopaminergic illicit drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, are frequently reported to cause a presentation of tactile hallucinations known as formication, where insects are felt crawling on or underneath the skin [38]. The sensations may *Naranjo criteria [15] was used to assess the probability that each case with delusional infestation was related to drug therapy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse psychocutaneous effects of prescription stimulant use and abuse: A systematic review

Moattari

França

2022

J Deutsche Derma Gesell

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SummaryAlthough rare, psychocutaneous disorders induced by prescription stimulants have been reported throughout the literature. A systematic review was conducted to identify all case reports and case series of prescription stimulant‐induced trichotillomania, tactile hallucinations, and delusional infestation. A total of 22 case reports were identified and relevant information was analyzed. Patients presenting with trichotillomania and tactile hallucinations induced by prescription stimulants were typically pediatric male patients being treated for attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder. Symptoms resolved after discontinuation of the offending medication. Patients presenting with delusional infestation secondary to stimulant use or abuse were typically adults who were misusing or abusing stimulant medication. Although symptoms typically improved or resolved after decreasing or discontinuing medication, several patients required the use of antipsychotic medication. While the observational nature of case reports and small number of patients limits meaningful analysis of trends and comparison, this study demonstrates that physicians, especially dermatologists and psychiatrists, should be aware of the potential for prescription stimulants to precipitate adverse psychocutaneous disorders in a minority of individuals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse psychocutaneous effects of prescription stimulant use and abuse: A systematic review

Moattari

França

2022

J Deutsche Derma Gesell

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“…Von illegalen dopaminergen Drogen wie Kokain und Methamphetamin ist bekannt, dass sie nicht selten zu taktilen Halluzinationen führen, die auch als Formikation (Ameisenlaufen) bezeichnet werden. Betroffene haben das Gefühl, dass Insekten auf oder unter der Haut krabbeln [38]. Die Missempfindungen können dazu führen, dass die Betroffenen an ihrer Haut zupfen oder kratzen.…”

Section: Diskussionunclassified

Psychokutane Nebenwirkungen bei Konsum und Missbrauch verschreibungspflichtiger Stimulanzien: Eine systematische Übersicht

Moattari

França

2022

J Deutsche Derma Gesell

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ZusammenfassungWenngleich selten, so wird doch immer wieder von psychokutanen Störungen durch verschreibungspflichtige Stimulanzien berichtet. Es wurde eine systematische Suche nach Fallberichten und Fallserien zu Trichotillomanie, taktilen Halluzinationen und Dermatozoenwahn durch verschreibungspflichtige Stimulanzien durchgeführt. Insgesamt wurden die relevanten Daten aus 22 Fallberichten ausgewertet. Die meisten Patienten mit Trichotillomanie und taktilen Halluzinationen durch verschreibungspflichtige Stimulanzien waren männliche pädiatrische Patienten, die wegen einer Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit‐/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) behandelt wurden. Die Symptome klangen nach Absetzen der betreffenden Medikamente ab. Patienten mit Wahnvorstellungen infolge des Konsums oder Missbrauchs der Medikamente waren in der Regel um Erwachsene, die Stimulanzien nicht bestimmungsgemäß oder missbräuchlich konsumierten. Obwohl sich die Symptome meist nach dem Absetzen der Medikamente oder einer Reduktion der Dosis verbesserten oder auflösten, waren bei einigen Patienten Antipsychotika erforderlich. Der beobachtungsbasierte Ansatz der Fallberichte und die geringe Patientenzahl schränkt die Aussagekraft einer Vergleichs‐ und Trendanalyse ein. Trotzdem sollten sich Ärzte, insbesondere Dermatologen und Psychiater, des Risikos unerwünschter psychokutaner Störungen durch verschreibungspflichtige Stimulanzien bei einigen Patienten bewusst sein.SummaryAlthough rare, psychocutaneous disorders induced by prescription stimulants have been reported throughout the literature. A systematic review was conducted to identify all case reports and case series of prescription stimulant‐induced trichotillomania, tactile hallucinations, and delusional infestation. A total of 22 case reports were identified and relevant information was analyzed. Patients presenting with trichotillomania and tactile hallucinations induced by prescription stimulants were typically pediatric male patients being treated for attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder. Symptoms resolved after discontinuation of the offending medication. Patients presenting with delusional infestation secondary to stimulant use or abuse were typically adults who were misusing or abusing stimulant medication. Although symptoms typically improved or resolved after decreasing or discontinuing medication, several patients required the use of antipsychotic medication. While the observational nature of case reports and small number of patients limits meaningful analysis of trends and comparison, this study demonstrates that physicians, especially dermatologists and psychiatrists, should be aware of the potential for prescription stimulants to precipitate adverse psychocutaneous disorders in a minority of individuals.

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“…Pain modality Hallucinated pain, central pain (8). Sexual modality Sexual hallucination (9). Temperature modality Thermal (thermic) hallucination such a common and continuous presence in our everyday lives that we mostly take it for granted.…”

Section: Sensory Modalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the past 15 years, case reports and modest case series have reported on tactile hallucinations in varying conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders (6), illicit drug use (7), and medication use (8)(9)(10)(11). Rare as they may seem in psychiatric and neurological conditions, in the general population they were found to be the second-most prevalent type of hallucination.…”

Section: Tactile Hallucinationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tactile and Somatic Hallucinations in a Muslim Population of Psychotic Patients

Lim

Blom

2021

Front. Psychiatry

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Background: Tactile and somatic hallucinations are distressing phenomena that have hardly been researched. The few studies that have been published focus on their occurrence in neurodegenerative disorders and substance use, and, surprisingly, not on schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Objective: To fill this gap in our knowledge, we sought to explore the phenomenological characteristics of tactile and somatic hallucinations in a group of psychotic Muslim patients. Since many Muslims attribute such experiences to jinn (invisible spirits) and jinn are often perceived in multiple sensory modalities, we not only charted the involvement of the tactile and somatic modalities but also their interrelatedness with hallucinations in other sensory modalities.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using a semi-structured interview and dedicated questionnaire.Results: Of the 42 Muslim inpatients mostly diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, 62% reported to suffer from tactile and/or somatic hallucinations. Their phenomenological characteristics varied, with 96% being multimodal in nature and 38% taking the form of full-blown entity/jinn encounters. In comparison to other entity experiences, the involvement of the tactile and somatic modalities was exceptionally high, as was the level of ensuing distress. Regarding the order of recruitment of the various sensory modalities, we suggest the involvement of an underlying stochastic process.Conclusion: Muslim patients with severe psychosis can have tactile and somatic hallucinations, of which a large number are multimodal or full-blown entity/jinn encounters, which are almost invariably appreciated as harrowing. On the basis of our findings we make recommendations for further research and clinical practice.

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Formication, tactile hallucinations, delusional parasitosis, and Morgellons: Enough to make your skin crawl

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Adverse psychocutaneous effects of prescription stimulant use and abuse: A systematic review

Adverse psychocutaneous effects of prescription stimulant use and abuse: A systematic review

Psychokutane Nebenwirkungen bei Konsum und Missbrauch verschreibungspflichtiger Stimulanzien: Eine systematische Übersicht

Tactile and Somatic Hallucinations in a Muslim Population of Psychotic Patients

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