Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0162473 (Frey)
 2,599 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Frey's syndrome of the external auditory canal is extremely rare. A 55-year old woman presented with a 6 month history of unilateral gustatory otorrhea. She never complained of hearing impairment, tinnitus, vertigo or otalgia. No trauma or surgical signs were evident near the ear or parotid gland. Examination of the ear showed an intact tympanic membrane without disease. A diagnosis of gustatory sweating syndrome was suggested by the observation of sweat production after chewing and by Minor's starch-iodine test. Symptoms were relieved after tympanic neurectomy. The pathogenesis, differential diagnosis and treatment options are discussed.
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PMID:[Frey's syndrome of the external auditory canal]. 1527 26

Importance: A mystery illness striking U.S. and Canadian diplomats to Cuba (and now China) "has confounded the FBI, the State Department and US intelligence agencies" (Lederman, Weissenstein, & Lee, 2017). Sonic explanations for the so-called health attacks have long dominated media reports, propelled by peculiar sounds heard and auditory symptoms experienced. Sonic mediation was justly rejected by experts. We assessed whether pulsed radiofrequency/microwave radiation (RF/MW) exposure can accommodate reported facts in diplomats, including unusual ones. Observations: (1) Noises: Many diplomats heard chirping, ringing or grinding noises at night during episodes reportedly triggering health problems. Some reported that noises were localized with laser-like precision or said the sounds seemed to follow them (within the territory in which they were perceived). Pulsed RF/MW engenders just these apparent "sounds" via the Frey effect. Perceived "sounds" differ by head dimensions and pulse characteristics and can be perceived as located behind in or above the head. Ability to hear the "sounds" depends on high-frequency hearing and low ambient noise. (2) Signs/symptoms: Hearing loss and tinnitus are prominent in affected diplomats and in RF/MW-affected individuals. Each of the protean symptoms that diplomats report also affect persons reporting symptoms from RF/MW: sleep problems, headaches, and cognitive problems dominate in both groups. Sensations of pressure or vibration figure in each. Both encompass vision, balance, and speech problems and nosebleeds. Brain injury and brain swelling are reported in both. (3) Mechanisms: Oxidative stress provides a documented mechanism of RF/MW injury compatible with reported signs and symptoms; sequelae of endothelial dysfunction (yielding blood flow compromise), membrane damage, blood-brain barrier disruption, mitochondrial injury, apoptosis, and autoimmune triggering afford downstream mechanisms, of varying persistence, that merit investigation. (4) Of note, microwaving of the U.S. embassy in Moscow is historically documented. Conclusions and relevance: Reported facts appear consistent with pulsed RF/MW as the source of injury in affected diplomats. Nondiplomats citing symptoms from RF/MW, often with an inciting pulsed-RF/MW exposure, report compatible health conditions. Under the RF/MW hypothesis, lessons learned for diplomats and for RF/MW-affected civilians may each aid the other.
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PMID:Diplomats' Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation. 3018 9