Classical Trigeminal Neuralgia and Sodium Channel Mutations

The most common cause of trigeminal neuralgia is considered to be a neurovascular contact. However, this etiological factor only seem to be present in half of the patient group. Thus the etiology of the other half is unknown. Gain-of function genetic mutations in voltage gated sodium channels have been hypothesized as playing a role in the etiology of trigeminal neuralgia but it has yet to be confirmed. In recent years gain-of-function mutations have been identified as a causative factor in other pain-diseases presenting with trigeminal neuralgia phenotypic similarities.