Autonomic nervous system and neuroendocrine changes in patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia

To investigate sympathetic nervous system and neuroendocrine changes in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, we determined the plasma level of the catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine, as well as cortisol and ACTH in 16 patients (55.38.3 years) with trigeminal neuralgia at four different times during the day (7.00, 13.00, 17.00 and 23.00). Morning and evening values of plasma norepinephrine as well as the daily mean value (dmv) were significantly higher ( p