MUSES Syndrome

aka Multi-Sensory Sensitivity,

= chronic syndrome characterized by hyper- and/or hypo sensitivity affecting at least 4 of the 5 primary senses (smell, vision, hearing, taste and touch) and 4 of the 5 secondary senses (balance/movement, physical pain, emotional stress, temperature, and electromagnetic fields).

Caused exclusively by chronic carbon monoxide poisoning, although commonly not recognized. Misdiagnosed in 19th century as neurasthenia and hysteria and in the 20th century as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivity.

In "Fall of the House of Usher," Poe describes a textbook case of MUSES syndrome in Roderick Usher, who

"suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses:
insipid food was alone endurable, he could wear only garments of certain texture, the odors of all flowers were oppressive, his eyes were tortured by even a faint light, and there were but peculiar sounds, and these from stringed instruments, which did not inspire him with horror."

11👍 3👎