Nodding syndrome is a rare, enigmatic form of pediatric epilepsy that has occurred in an epidemic fashion beginning in the early 2000s in geographically distinct regions of Africa. Despite extensive investigation, the etiology of nodding syndrome remains unclear, although much progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease, as well as in treatment and prevention. Nodding syndrome is recognized as a defined disease entity, but it is likely one manifestation along a continuum of Onchocerca volvulus-associated neurological complications. This review examines the epidemiology of nodding syndrome and its association with environmental factors. It provides a critical analysis of the data that support or contradict the leading hypotheses of the etiologies underlying the pathogenesis of the syndrome. It also highlights the important progress made in treating and preventing this devastating neurological disease and prioritizes important areas for future research.

中文翻译：

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点头综合征的发病机制。

点头综合征是一种罕见的，神秘的小儿癫痫病形式，自2000年代初开始在非洲地理上不同的地区以流行病的形式发生。尽管进行了广泛的研究，点头综合征的病因仍不清楚，尽管在了解该病的发病机理以及治疗和预防方面已取得了很大进展。点头综合征被认为是确定的疾病实体，但是它可能是沿小肠盘尾丝虫相关神经系统并发症的连续表现。本文综述了点头综合征的流行病学及其与环境因素的关系。它提供了对数据的批判性分析，这些数据支持或矛盾了该综合征发病机理的病因的主要假设。