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Chowdhury T, Sternberg Z, Golanov E, Gelpi R, Rosemann T, Schaller BJ. Photic sneeze reflex: another variant of the trigeminocardiac reflex? FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl-2019-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The photic sneeze reflex (PSR) is a condition of uncontrollable sneezing episodes in response to bright light. This reflex often manifests as a mild phenomenon but may cause devastating consequences in some situations (aeroplane pilots, car drivers, etc.). Its exact mechanism is poorly understood. Interestingly, the roles of the fifth and tenth cranial nerves, brainstem nuclei and inciting patterns closely mimic a well-known brainstem reflex, known as the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR). In this critical review, we hypothesize that the PSR can be a variant of the TCR. This concept will lead to a better understanding of the PSR and sharpens the TCR characteristics and open the doors for new research possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tumul Chowdhury
- Department of Anaesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Zohara Sternberg
- Department of Neurology, Buffalo University of New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugene Golanov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA & Weill Cornell Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Riccardo Gelpi
- Department of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Thomas Rosemann
- Department of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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