[Morpheus syndrome: Psychotic symptoms in a case series of patients with COVID-19]

Clément de Crespin de Billy1,2, Cyril Cazals2,3, Pascale Boucher3

  • 1CEMNIS - Noninvasive Neuromodulation Center, University Hospital Strasbourg, 1, place de l'hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg Cedex, France.

Insights

COVID-19 patients transferred during Operation MORPHEE developed new-onset psychotic disorders. These symptoms resolved spontaneously, suggesting a potential neurological link to COVID-19 rather than iatrogenic causes.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry
  • Infectious Diseases

Context:

  • Colmar hospital was an epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in France.
  • Operation MORPHEE involved transferring intensive care unit (ICU) patients to manage high admission rates.

Purpose:

  • To describe psychotic disorders observed in patients transferred during Operation MORPHEE.
  • To investigate the potential causes and characteristics of these novel psychiatric symptoms.

Summary:

  • Several patients without prior psychiatric history developed psychotic disorders upon waking after transfer.
  • These symptoms differed from typical ICU delirium and near-death experiences.
  • No iatrogenic causes were identified, and imaging did not explain the symptoms, suggesting a possible neurological manifestation of COVID-19.

Impact:

  • Highlights a potential neurological complication of COVID-19.
  • Suggests caution regarding pharmacological interventions for these specific psychotic disorders.
  • Underscores the need for further research into the neuropsychiatric effects of COVID-19.

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