Sufferers of the agonising ‘suicide headache’ condition trigeminal neuralgia are being offered hope by a new drug that blocks pain transmission.

There is no cure for the condition, and until now it has been largely treated with anti-epileptic drugs.

While these dampen the excruciating pain, they have a range of side effects and can affect cognition, memory and the ability to speak.

Sufferers of the agonising ‘suicide headache’ condition trigeminal neuralgia are being offered hope by a new drug that blocks pain transmission

The new drug, which is still on trial, is the first specifically designed for trigeminal neuralgia. A UK study published last month showed a 30 per cent reduction in pain levels for patients.

Unlike the epilepsy drugs, which affect the whole brain system, the drug specifically targets pain communication from the trigeminal nerve.

Facial pain specialist Professor Joanna Zakrzewska, of the Eastman Dental Hospital, part of the University College London Hospital Foundation NHS Trust, led the trial on the new drug – codenamed BIIB074.

She said: ‘This new drug doesn’t affect the rest of the brain as the epilepsy drugs do because it was created just for trigeminal neuralgia.

‘The results are very encouraging and we think it will eventually become licensed and available to patients within three to four years.’

The illness is diagnosed in approximately 8,000 Britons every year in the UK.

They experience sudden, shooting pain in the cheeks, jaw and forehead which can last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

There is no cure for the condition, and until now it has been largely treated with anti-epileptic drugs

Some patients suffer up to 100 attacks a day, and the severity and unrelenting nature of the pain has led to sufferers taking their own lives.

Nine in every ten cases are thought to be caused by a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve, the large, three-branch nerve transmitting sensations of pain and touch from the face, teeth and mouth to the brain.

Over time, the pressure from the blood vessel wears away the protective coating around the nerve – the myelin sheath – which explains why it often emerges in people over 50.

Attacks can be triggered by everyday tasks such as shaving, showering, brushing teeth or even talking.

Explaining why trigeminal neuralgia is often linked to suicide, Prof Zakrzewska added: ‘Patients can have series of attacks – often up to 50 or more in a day – which can last for days, and then they can have quite long periods of remission.

‘Others can have pain that is always with them. Life can be depressing and exhausting.’

Professor Hugh Coakham, a neurosurgeon in Bristol and an expert in the condition, said: ‘ The condition mostly affects middle-aged and older people. This may be because blood vessels become gnarled and twisted with age, encroach over the nerve and wear down the insulating sheath.’

Prof Zakrzewska’s stage two trial with BIIB074 involved 29 patients from the UK and abroad. Details of the trial are published in the medical journal Lancet Neurology.

The company behind the drug is now planning a larger stage-three trial which would allow it to apply for a licence to market the drug.

10 REASONS YOU CAN'T CONCENTRATE There are lots of reasons why you may not be able to concentrate properly 1. LACK OF SLEEP As highlighted on the BBC’s Panorama last week, Britain is becoming a ‘sleepless nation’, with sleep-related hospital visits tripling in ten years. Research has shown that sleep deprivation – after just one night – can hamper performance in logistical tasks and leave focus and attention drifting. 2. YOU ARE MESSY There’s more than a grain of truth in the phrase ‘tidy house, tidy mind.’ According to US research, a chaotic and cluttered environment impairs ability to focus. Neuroscientists at Princeton University found that participants performed better in a cognitive task in an organised, serene environment as physical clutter overloads the senses and impacts ability to process information. 3. YOU NEED TO MOVE A US study of school children found that a 15-minute movement break improved their memory, focus and behaviour in the classroom and their academic performance was boosted more than a control group given extra lessons. Similarly, a study from the University of Illinois found that when sedentary adults took up a regular brisk walking routine, their ability to ignore distractions was improved. 4. YOU MULTI-TASK. BADLY Multi-tasking may make it seem like much is getting done, but research has found the opposite. A team at Stanford University found that frequent multi-taskers who thought they were performing well didn’t achieve as much as those who preferred to focus on one thing at a time. 5. IT MAY BE DEPRESSION Persistent poor concentration is one of the cognitive side effects of depression. Some 20 to 30 per cent of people suffering from depression experience impaired processing speed – the ability to take in information quickly and efficiently. 6. BLAME THE BABY Pregnant women often say they become forgetful and struggle to focus. It’s a condition known as ‘pregnancy fog’. Scientific proof of the phenomenon has yet to be found, but a 2014 University of London study found that pregnant women use the right side of their brain more – the part associated with emotions – as they prepare for bonding with their baby, meaning that the left ‘logical’ side is used less. 7. WATCH OUT FOR DEMENTIA Problems with attention span and concentration – such as losing the thread of a conversation or becoming easily distracted – can be a possible early sign of dementia. In these cases, doctors recommend activities and exercises to stimulate concentration such as talking about day-to-day interests or reminiscences in a small group. 8. IS IT ADULT ADHD? Sixty per cent of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder still suffer symptoms in adulthood, according to the Royal College of General Practitioners. Adults with ADHD are less likely to be hyperactive, but can struggle to focus on and organise everyday tasks, follow directions and remember information. 9. YOU MAY HAVE HAD A STROKE Problems with concentration are very common after a stroke – when blood supply to part of the brain is compromised, causing damage to that area, especially if the stroke affected the right side of the brain. Mini-strokes, transient stroke-type episodes, may not even be noticed. Survivors’ concentration span improves with time. 10. YOU NEED TO EAT… OR DRINK A rumbling stomach or feeling parched can be distracting. Hunger, and the resulting lack of energy, will wreak havoc on a person’s ability to concentrate. Numerous studies involving schoolchildren have shown that performance drops if pupils are hungry. And research has found that having just one per cent lower than optimal hydration can cause lack of focus. Advertisement



