New psychosomatic condition affecting young adults detected in Singapore; one confirmed case under observation

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Feb 7) confirmed it is monitoring a newly identified psychosomatic condition after a young man was admitted to Singapore General Hospital exhibiting a cluster of unusual symptoms that medical professionals have not previously encountered in combination.

The condition, which researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are tentatively calling "Acute Idiopathic Cardio-Neural Dysregulation Syndrome" (AICDS), was first flagged by emergency department physicians who observed a pattern of symptoms that did not correspond to any known medical condition in existing diagnostic frameworks.

"The patient presented with persistent tachycardia — an elevated heart rate that could not be attributed to any cardiovascular abnormality," said Dr Lim Wei Ting, a senior consultant at SGH's Department of Internal Medicine. "What was particularly unusual was the simultaneous presence of several other symptoms that, taken individually, would appear benign."

SYMPTOMS REPORTED

According to an MOH press release, the confirmed case — a male in his early twenties identified as Aditya Kumar — exhibited the following symptoms over a period of several weeks before seeking medical attention:

• Persistent elevated heart rate (90–120 bpm) occurring at irregular intervals throughout the day, often triggered without physical exertion
• Inability to maintain focus on routine tasks, with the patient reporting that his "mind kept wandering to the same place"
• Palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the palms) that intensified in specific social situations
• Disrupted sleep patterns, including an inability to fall asleep due to what the patient described as "racing thoughts about one person"
• An involuntary smile response triggered by mobile phone notifications from a specific contact
• A reported sensation of "butterflies" in the abdominal region that the patient initially mistook for a gastrointestinal issue

Dr Lim noted that while each symptom in isolation was unremarkable, their co-occurrence and persistence over an extended period warranted further investigation.

"We ran a full cardiac workup, blood panels, thyroid function tests — everything came back normal," she said. "That was when we realised this was not a conventional case."

NARROWING THE SOURCE

Investigators from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine conducted a detailed epidemiological assessment and determined that the symptoms were not pathogenic in nature. Instead, the condition appeared to be entirely psychosomatic, with all physiological responses traceable to a single external stimulus.

"Through extensive interviews with the patient, we were able to identify that every episode of elevated heart rate, every instance of disrupted concentration, and every occurrence of the palmar hyperhidrosis could be directly linked to interactions with, or thoughts about, one specific individual," said Associate Professor Tan Siew Hoon, who is leading the research team.

The individual in question was identified as one Mahima Sharma.

MEASURES TAKEN BY SINGAPORE

The Ministry of Health has classified the case as "non-threatening" and noted that no treatment intervention is planned, as the condition is considered "self-sustaining and, in the professional opinion of the attending physicians, profoundly beautiful."

In an unusual departure from standard medical advisories, MOH's press release concluded with the following statement:

"The Ministry wishes to clarify that AICDS, while presenting with symptoms that may initially cause concern, is in fact one of the most natural and wonderful conditions known to the human experience. The patient is not considered to be at risk. If anything, he is considered to be incredibly fortunate."

CDA said it will continue to monitor the situation and "wishes the patient all the best."