D Hydén1, S Arlinger. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden. dag.hyden@lio.se
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate whether the tickling inside the nose before a light-induced sneeze in susceptible individuals is correlated to a recordable local activity or not. METHODS: Seven healthy volunteers, three with a history of light-induced sneezing, were stimulated with stroboscopic light or a strong halogen lamp. Recording was done with an evoked potential averaging technique via intranasal electrodes placed in such a way that they substantially reduced the strong electrical response from the retina. RESULTS: Despite an adequate light stimulus, no reproducible electrical activity could be recorded from any of the members in any experiment. CONCLUSION: Light-induced sneezing is presumably a central phenomenon. The electrical activity travels through the optic pathways straight to the trigeminal nucleus and the tickling is a referred sensation. A genetic variation in the distance between the optic pathways (colliculus superior) and the mesencephalic part of the trigeminal nucleus may explain why light-induced sneezing is more common in certain families and races.
PURPOSE: To investigate whether the tickling inside the nose before a light-induced sneeze in susceptible individuals is correlated to a recordable local activity or not. METHODS: Seven healthy volunteers, three with a history of light-induced sneezing, were stimulated with stroboscopic light or a strong halogen lamp. Recording was done with an evoked potential averaging technique via intranasal electrodes placed in such a way that they substantially reduced the strong electrical response from the retina. RESULTS: Despite an adequate light stimulus, no reproducible electrical activity could be recorded from any of the members in any experiment. CONCLUSION: Light-induced sneezing is presumably a central phenomenon. The electrical activity travels through the optic pathways straight to the trigeminal nucleus and the tickling is a referred sensation. A genetic variation in the distance between the optic pathways (colliculus superior) and the mesencephalic part of the trigeminal nucleus may explain why light-induced sneezing is more common in certain families and races.
Authors: Nicholas Eriksson; J Michael Macpherson; Joyce Y Tung; Lawrence S Hon; Brian Naughton; Serge Saxonov; Linda Avey; Anne Wojcicki; Itsik Pe'er; Joanna Mountain Journal: PLoS Genet Date: 2010-06-24 Impact factor: 5.917