Medical Oddities: Alive, but convinced otherwise

A deadly conviction, healing vanilla, stormy lungs, and a COVID tea party await.

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A man in his 40s with schizophrenia developed nihilistic delusions consistent with Cotard’s delusion after discontinuing psychiatric medication.
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His belief that he was dead nearly resolved by day 6 after treatment with oral risperidone and long-acting injectable paliperidone; sustained remission was not confirmed.
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A narrative review described vanillin’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and its use in experimental wound dressings, but the evidence remains largely preclinical.
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In a randomized trial of 1,012 adults, COVID-19 incidence was 5.4% in both the green tea and water gargling groups over 12 weeks.
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In a single-center study, thunderstorm-associated asthma was linked to younger age, more allergic rhinitis, and higher eosinophil counts than general asthma exacerbations.

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