Significance of atypical presentation of symptomatic SUNCT: a case report
- aDepartment of Neurology, Maasland Hospital, PO Box 5500, 6130 MB Sittard, The Netherlands, bInstitute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Dr JWM ter Bergh.terberg{at}wxs.nl
- Received 12 June 2000
- Revised 3 October 2000
- Accepted 4 October 2000
Abstract
A patient with a SUNCT-like syndrome caused by severe basilar impression in association with osteogenesis imperfecta is described. Initially symptoms of both the first and second branch of the trigeminal nerve were prominent, on which carbamazepine had only a temporary and mild effect. Progressive symptoms with prominent ipsilateral autonomic features, unexplained triggering by photostimulation, and increasing duration of pain attacks occurred with relentless progressive basilar impression associated with pontomedullary compression. Pathophysiologically a dysfunction in ephaptic transmission is hypothesised.
