The role of zinc ions in pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia (experimental and clinical study)

In order to make clear the role of zinc (Zn) ions in the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) the investigations of rats with the compression model of TN as well as on false operated animals were carried out. In 1.5 months after the intraorbital nerve compression the increase of Zn concentration in caudal trigeminal nucleus and (to a less degree) in hyppocampus as well as behavioural and pathophysiological pain correlates were revealed. The exogenous Zn introduction led to an increase of its level in these structures simultaneously With the exacerbation of all sings of the TN syndrome. The addition of chelating agents Xydiphone which bound bivalent cations in soft tissues, into drinking water, normalized the Zn content in rats brain and reduced the pathological symptoms. The use of Xydiphone in the complex therapy of 25 patients with the TN tolerant to carbamazepine reduced the pain syndrome in 15 cases. Thus the local changes of Zn level in the CNS may play a certain role in the manifestation of the TN pain syndrome.