PURPOSE The authors investigated whether trigeminal sensitization occurs in response to bright light with the retina disconnected from the rest of the central nervous system by optic nerve section. METHODS In urethane-anesthetized rats, trigeminal reflex blinks were evoked with air puff stimuli directed at the cornea in darkness and at three different light intensities. After normative data w...

Malignant trigeminal neuralgia due to perineural spread along the branches of the trigeminal nerve, is known to commonly occur secondary to squamous cell carcinomas, lymphomas and adenoid cystic carcinomas in the head and neck region. Rarely metastases to the trigeminal nerve have been reported in breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. To the best of our knowledge trigeminal neuropath...

Inhalation of irritating substances leads to activation of the trigeminal nerve, triggering protective reflexes that include apnea or sneezing. Receptors for trigeminal irritants are generally assumed to be located exclusively on free nerve endings within the nasal epithelium, requiring that trigeminal irritants diffuse through the junctional barrier at the epithelial surface to activate recept...

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder of the fifth cranial nerve that causes episodes of intense, stabbing, electric shock-like pain that lasts from few seconds to few minutes in the areas of the face where the branches of the nerve are distributed. More than one nerve branch can be affected by the disorder. We report an unusual case of trigeminal neuralgia affecting right side of face presenting ...

OBJECTIVES Neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve is the primary cause of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) but is known to occur in both symptomatic and asymptomatic nerves. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings regarding the site of NVC and the manifestation of TN symptoms. METHODS In 147 patients with uni...

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is most commonly caused by vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve root entry zone. Secondary trigeminal neuralgia due to ischemic lesion of the pons is very rare. Here we report a patient with a pontine infarct transecting the central trigeminal pathways resulting with trigeminal neuralgia.

BACKGROUND In our present study, we studied the role of demyelination of the trigeminal nerve root in the development of prolonged nociceptive behavior in the trigeminal territory. RESULTS Under anesthesia, the Sprague-Dawley rats were mounted onto a stereotaxic frame and 3 μL of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 1 nmol) was injected into the trigeminal nerve root to produce demyelination. This tre...

Trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) is characterized by brief paroxysms of pain limited to the facial distribution of the trigeminal nerve and is precipitated by stimuli to sensory endings in the trigeminal receptive area. The condition is relieved by blocking the afferent input of the trigeminal nerve. According to Wyburn-Mason (1953) and Crue, Shelden, Pudentz, and Freshwater (1956), attack...

BACKGROUND Trigeminal neuralgia may be idiopathic or secondary to a number of cranial pathologies. We report a novel case of trigeminal neuralgia associated with Dandy-Walker malformation, which may be an etiologic factor. CASE DESCRIPTION A 32-year-old male presented with shock-like pain in the somatosensory distribution of the right trigeminal nerve, which was refractory to all medication. ...

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a rare chronic pain disorder, characterised by paroxysms of severe, lancinating pain in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. Most commonly, the second and third branches of the trigeminal nerve are affected. Paroxysms of pain may be related to tactile stimuli such as hair combing, shaving or a cold wind against the patients face. The pain associated with TN is ...