Impaired trigeminal nociceptive processing in patients with classical and chronic trigeminal neuralgia

Objectives: To determine trigeminal nociceptive fibre impairment in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) comparing affected and non-affected sides using the nociceptive blink reflex (nBR) and pain-related evoked potentials (PREP) and to identify possible central mechanisms of pain chronicity in patients suffering from persistent dull background pain in between paroxysmal facial pain attacks (chronic trigeminal neuralgia, cTN). Methods: We investigated 24 patients with TN (mean age: 64,9±10,1 years, range: 45–85 years), and 18 patients with cTN (mean age: 61,7±11,9 years, range: 44–82 years). PREP and nBR were…