Botulinum toxin type A improves pain in numb chin syndrome.

Numb chin syndrome is a rare pain disorder characterized by decreased sensation and paresthesia in the territory of the mental nerve. Neuropathic pain is sometimes described in this setting, and the most common treatments include oral analgesics, gabapentinoids, and carbamazepine; however, botulinum toxin type A has never been used in this setting. We describe a case of bilateral numb chin syndrome, secondary to Burkitt lymphoma, associated with refractory and persistent burning neuropathic pain, effectively treated twelve times with subcutaneous Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) injections. The procedure was well tolerated, but the patient reported incomplete mouth closure of minimal entity. BoNT/A could be a safe and effective therapy for neuropathic pain associated with numb chin syndrome.

Stimulus-Induced Rhythmic or Periodic Intermittent Discharges (SIRPIDs) in patients with triphasic waves and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Since the term Stimulus-Induced Rhythmic, Periodic, or Ictal Discharges (SIRPIDs) was introduced into the vocabulary of electrophysiologists/neurologists, there has been an ongoing debate about its significance, as well as its correlation with outcomes. SIRPIDs are frequently seen in patients who are critically ill from various causes. The literature reflects the findings of triphasic morphology, with the generalized periodic discharge (GPD) classification in many patients with SIRPIDs: toxic/metabolic encephalopathies, septic, and hypoxemic/hypercapnic encephalopathies, but also sharp periodic complexes in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and advanced Alzheimer's disease. In these settings, GPDs disappear when patients fall asleep and reappear when patients spontaneously wake up, or are awoken by an external stimulus, or sometimes because of a respiratory event, with the possibility of the appearance of GPDs with a cyclic alternating pattern. SIRPIDs may be seen as a transitional pattern between sleep and waking states, corresponding to a postarousal/awakening phenomenon. As SIRPIDs are a transient phenomenon and can usually be recorded repeatedly with each stimulation, the word "Ictal" could be replaced by "Intermittent": Stimulus-Induced Rhythmic or Periodic Intermittent Discharges. However, considering that SIRPIDs may be "potentially ictal" or on an "ictal-interictal continuum" in some situations, the "plus" modifier may be added: SIRPIDs-plus.

Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome in Migraine Patients: A Case-Control Study. Analysis of Risk Factors for Restless Legs Syndrome in Migraine Patients.

BACKGROUND: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder. It can be idiopathic, associated to other diseases or to pharmacologic treatments. RLS has been reported to occur more frequently in migraine patients, but a clear pathogenetic link seems still under debate. We aimed to evaluate RLS prevalence in migraine, impact on sleep quality and the main clinical determinants of this association. METHODS: Migraine patients and age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled from 1st January 2011 to 30th December 2012. Migraine and RLS diagnosis complied with already published clinical criteria. Medical and pharmacological histories, as well as structured questionnaires were collected. RESULTS: RLS was found in 29/180 (16.1%) patients and 11/180 (6.1%) controls. The odds ratio (OR) for RLS was 2.95 (CI 95%, 1.42-6.11). Among migraine patients, after adjustment for possible confounding factors, familial history (OR 3.863, CI 1.076-13.873), and serotoninergic overload (OR 3.654, CI 1.347-9.916) were significantly associated with RLS occurrence. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was higher in migraine patients with RLS than in subjects without RLS. CONCLUSIONS: The confirmed association between migraine and RLS might be because of familial predisposition and to serotoninergic drugs effect, possibly interfering with the balance between dopaminergic and serotoninergic pathways.