title: Hemifacial spasm, vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia and neurofibromatosis type 1.
abstract: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is usually produced by compression of the facial nerve by tortuous blood vessels at the root exit zone, including vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD). Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a variety of symptoms, affecting mainly the skin and nervous system. Cerebrovascular abnormalities are becoming a recognized complication of the disease and the most constantly described lesions are stenosis and occlusions affecting the internal carotid artery. VBD has rarely been associated with NF1. We report a 38-year-old female patient with HFS produced by VBD with NF1 presenting with other cerebrovascular abnormalities associated with this disease. We discuss the possible association between these three entities, assuming that a causal relationship may be established and that VBD is part of the spectrum of vascular abnormalities caused by NF1 in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Movement Disorders Unit, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Avda de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain. edudepablo@hotmail.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Pablo-Fernández
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Correas-Callero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sierra-Hidalgo
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Posada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications*; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000150:complications*