Rev Neurol France
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Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is known since the famous Dejerine-Roussy syndrome and its description has not improved. The subject has however been revived over the last decade thanks to advances in central nervous system imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the description of allodynia functional phenomena with fMRI, the study of opioid receptors, and above all, the analysis of pain pathways by laser-evoked potentials. Progress has also occurred in CPSP treatment with motor cortex stimulation, which probably opens a period of neuromodulation of the cortical areas controlling pain. The thalamus plays a prominent role in this disorder of central control of pain.
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Headache often accompanies acute ischemic stroke. Observational studies indicate that 15 to 40% of patients with acute ischemic stroke report headache in close temporal relation to the event. ⋯ Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) can also lead to headache. The pathophysiology of headache associated with acute ischemic stroke includes edema, hemorrhagic transformation, and changes in the trigeminovascular system.
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Narcolepsy is a rare, disabling sleep disorder, with a prevalence of 20 to 30 per 100,000. Its onset, from childhood to the fifties, peaks in the second decade. The main features are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy or sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by emotional situations. ⋯ The cause of human narcolepsy remains unknown, however an autoimmune process is most probable. The treatment of narcolepsy includes stimulants against sleepiness (modafinil, methylphenidate), anticataplectic drugs (antidepressants) and sodium oxybate. The current therapeutic target is oriented towards hypocretine agonists, histamine (an arousal system) H3 antagonists and immunosuppressants.
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Restless-legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder, characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs usually accompanied or caused by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations. It begins or worsens during periods of rest or inactivity, is partially or totally relieved by movements and is exacerbated or occurs at night and in the evening. RLS sufferers represent 2 to 3% of the general population in Western countries. ⋯ RLS treatment begins with the elimination of triggering factors and iron supplementation when deficient. Mild or intermittent RLS is usually treated with low doses of l-DOPA or codeine; the first-line treatment for moderate to severe RLS is dopaminergic agonists (pramipexole, ropinirole, rotigotine). In severe, refractory or neuropathy-associated RLS, antiepileptic (gabapentin, pregabalin) or opioid (oxycodone, tramadol) drugs can be used.