The first investigative science-based evidence of Morgellons psychogenesis

ABSTRACT

Morgellons disease is an infrequent syndromic condition, that typically affects middle-aged white women, characterized by crawling sensations on and under the skin, associated with itchy rashes, stinging sores, fiber-like filaments emerging from the sores, severe fatigue, concentrating difficulty, and memory loss. The scientific community is prone to believe that Morgellons is the manifestation of various psychiatric syndromes (Munchausen, Munchausen by proxy, Ekbom, Wittmaack-Ekbom). Up until now, no investigative science-based evidence about its psychogenesis has ever been provided. In order to close this gap, we have analyzed the filaments extracted from the skin lesions of a 49-year-old Caucasian female patient, by using a Field Emission Gun–Environmental Electron Scanning Microscope equipped with an X-ray microprobe, for the chemico-elemental characterization of the filaments, comparing them with those collected during a detailed indoor investigation, with careful air monitoring, in her apartment. Our results prove the self-introduction under the epidermis of environmental filaments. For the first time in the literature, we have scientifically demonstrated the self-induced nature of Morgellons disease, thereby wiping out fanciful theories about its etiopathogenesis.

KEYWORDS:

• Bovine digital dermatitis
• energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
• environmental electron scanning microscope (ESEM)
• Morgellons disease
• Munchausen by proxy syndrome
• Munchausen syndrome

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their thanks to Federico Capitani and Luca Fabbiani for their technical assistance.

Funding

This study was unconditionally supported by the Nanodiagnostics Laboratory (San Vito di Spilamberto, Modena, Italy).

Additional information

Funding

This study was unconditionally supported by the Nanodiagnostics Laboratory (San Vito di Spilamberto, Modena, Italy).