[Emotional and personality disorders in atypical facial pain]

To investigate emotional and personality disorders in patients with atypical facial pain.

Forty-five patients (42 women, 3 men, mean age 50±16 years) were examined. Pain severity was assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale. Anxiety and depression levels were measured with the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spilberg's tests), the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, The Beck Depression Inventory. Thirty patients with atypical facial pain were treated with noophen. The clinical state of the patients was assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Noophen was administrated in daily dose of 500 mg, the course of the treatment was 8 weeks.

Anxiety and depression as well as the domination of functional neurologic symptoms were characteristic of patients with atypical facial pain. Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of noophen were seen from the 21st day of treatment. A mild stimulation effect and sleep normalization were also observed. An improvement of the mental state was found in 70% patients with atypical facial pain in the end of treatment: 50% patients demonstrated a significant improvement.