SUNCT and optic nerve hypoplasia

Symptomatic Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias

Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) are primary headache syndromes that share some clinical features such as a trigeminal distribution of the pain and accompanying ipsilateral autonomic symptoms. By definition, no underlying structural lesion for the phenotype is found. There are, however, many descriptions in the literature of patients with structural lesions causing symptoms that are indistinguishable from those of idiopathic TACs. In this article, we review the recent insights in symptomatic TACs by comparing and categorizing newly published cases. We confirm that symptomatic TACs can have typical phenotypes. It is of crucial importance to identify symptomatic TACs, as the underlying cause will influence treatment and outcome. Our update focuses on when a structural lesion should be sought.

SUNCT syndrome or first division trigeminal neuralgia associated with cerebellar hypoplasia

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache (SUNCT) and first division trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are rare and very similar periorbital unilateral pain syndromes. Few cases of SUNCT are associated with posterior skull lesions. We describe a 54-year-old man with symptoms compatible with both the previous painful syndromes, associated with a small posterior skull and a cerebellar hypoplasia. The short height and the reported bone fractures could be compatible with a mild form of osteogenesis imperfecta, previously described in one case associated with SUNCT. However, a hypoplastic posterior cranial fossa characterizes also Chiari I malformation. The difficult differential diagnosis between SUNCT and TN and their relation with posterior skull malformations is debated.