Primary somatosensory cortex oscillations in trigeminal neuralgia: laser-evoked signatures and their potential relevance to microvascular decompression.

ABSTRACT: Classical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe chronic pain disorder characterized by sudden, intense facial pain attacks and represents a major burden for affected individuals. Microvascular decompression (MVD) can provide pain relief, yet not all patients benefit equally. A key challenge in selecting candidates for MVD lies in the limited predictive accuracy of current diagnostics, which mainly rely on subjective pain history and structural MRI findings. Since many asymptomatic individuals show neurovascular contact on imaging, its prognostic value remains limited. Electrophysiological measures, particularly cortical oscillations, may offer more objective insights into nociceptive system function. In this case series, we investigated 15 TN patients scheduled for MVD using magnetoencepha

SUBMITTER: Kretzschmar BN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12515803 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature