Cervical central cord syndrome involving the spinal trigeminal nucleus: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Central cord syndrome is a commonly encountered disease entity. Its underlying pathophysiology, however, is not well understood.

METHODS

A 20-year-old patient with cervical injury with an atypical symptom of burning sensation in the face and neck area is reported.

RESULTS

The initial burning sensation in the face retreated from the center towards the periphery according to the "onionskin" segmentation of facial dermatomes, which suggested some pathologic condition residing in the spinal trigeminal nucleus.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this case suggest that the main locus of pathologic process of the central cord syndrome is in the gray matter rather than the white matter.