Epileptic seizure after ingesting a death cap mushroom in the course of online pseudotherapy for mood disorders – case report
Maciej Ludwik Pelc, Oliwia Anastazja Stasiewicz, Weronika Justyna Romaniuk, Anna Jamróz-Wiśniewska, Konrad Rejdak
Journal of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Research April 20, 2026 DOI: 10.26444/jpccr/220430 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 57-year-old woman with depression |
| Intervention | Amanita phalloides |
| Duration | Three weeks of ingestion, with an additional powdered dose the day before admission |
| Measures | EEG, creatine kinase, aminotransferases |
| Key findings | A 57-year-old woman with depression who ingested dried Amanita phalloides for three weeks, plus an additional powdered dose, was admitted after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure and showed elevated creatine kinase, mildly increased aminotransferases, and temporo-parieto-occipital EEG abnormalities; supportive treatment led to clinical improvement. The authors argue the case highlights risks of Internet-based pseudotherapies and the importance of thorough history-taking. |
Abstract
The growing popularity of Internet trends promoting poisonous mushrooms as 'natural therapies' poses a risk for public health.Amanita phalloides is a highly hepatotoxic species that can cause acute liver failure, while neurological complications are rare.The case is reported of a 57-year-old woman with depression, admitted after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure.She had ingested dried Amanita phalloides for three weeks, and the day before admission an additional powdered dose, which caused diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and convulsions.Believing in the therapeutic effect, she had also placed mushroom fragments in the umbilical region.Laboratory tests showed elevated creatine kinase and mildly increased aminotransferases; EEG revealed temporo-parieto-occipital abnormalities.Supportive treatment led to clinical improvement.The case highlights the risks of Internet-based pseudotherapies, and the importance of thorough history-taking.