Pathological sneezing

Pathology

• This is a genetic predisposition to sneezing in response to exposure to light
• The transmission is autosomal dominant
• It is due to the photic sneeze reflex (PSR)
• It is possibly due to a higher sensitivity of the visual cortex
• It results in co-activation of somatosensory areas

References

1. Langer N, Beeli G, Jancke L. When the sun prickles your nose: an EEG study identifying neural bases of photic sneezing. PLoS One 2010; 5:e9208.
2. Shetty PA, Bhat S, Jain V, Girish S, Shetty H, Kudlu KP. Implication of photic sneeze reflex in ophthalmology. Indian J Ophthalmol 2023; 71:2629. 
3. Morris HH 3rd. ACHOO syndrome: prevalence and inheritance. Cleve Clin J Med 1987; 54:431-433.
4. Bhutta MF, Maxwell H. Sneezing induced by sexual ideation or orgasm: an under-reported phenomenon. J R Soc Med 2008; 101:587-591.
5. Bhutta MF, Maxwell H. Further cases of unusual triggers of sneezing. J R Soc Med 2009; 102:49.
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