title: A Novel Pathophysiological Mechanism Contributing to Trigeminal Neuralgia.
abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a form of neuropathic pain that affects the fifth cranial nerve, the most widely distributed nerve in the head. Although TN has been associated with a variety of pathological conditions, neurovascular compression on the trigeminal nerve, as it exits the brain stem, is the most frequent reported cause. This compression provides a progressive demyelination of the nerve and a subsequent aberrant neural transmission. Although several studies have clarified some physiopathological mechanisms underlying TN, the molecular basis remains vague. Very recently the substitution of methionine 136 by valine (MET126Val) in sodium channel Nav1.6 in a case study of typical TN has suggested a new possible mechanism for TN. The findings of this new mutation provide novel information that warrants further conclusive investigations.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Palermo, ITALY.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Palermo, ITALY.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Palermo, ITALY.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alafaci
keywords: Trigeminal neuralgia; action potential; molecular mechanism; neurovascualr compression; trigeminal ganglion