title: Pathological laughter as a presenting symptom of massive trigeminal neuromas: report of four cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a report of four cases of huge trigeminal neuromas that presented with the principle symptom of pathological laughter (PL).
  
  
  METHODS
  All four patients were male and were in either the third or fourth decade of life. In addition to PL, there were neurological deficits related to trigeminal nerve, brainstem, and cerebellar dysfunctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  All tumors were radically excised via a lateral basal temporal approach. The PL was cured immediately after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PL sometimes precedes other neurological manifestations and may be a useful localizing sign. The clinical and radiological features in our cases suggest that PL is a result of extra-axial compression of the pons and adjoining neural structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Seth G.S. Medical College, Mumbai, India. mohinish@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bhatjiwale
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nadkarni
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007845:Laughter; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009463:Neuroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery