Abstract
Visual disturbances in migraineurs, such as visual aura, are typically episodic, that is, associated with the headache attack, and overlaid by head pain and other symptoms that impact the patient. In some patients, however, visual symptoms are dominant due to frequency (migraine aura status), duration (persistent migraine aura and other persistent positive visual phenomena), or complexity (visual snow syndrome). These syndromes are more rare and challenging to classify in clinical practice resulting in a lack of systematic studies on pathophysiology and treatment. We aim at describing clinical features and pathophysiological concepts of typical migraine aura with a focus on cortical spreading depression and differentiation from non-typical migraine aura. Additionally, we discuss nomenclature and the specifics of migraine aura status, persistent migraine aura, persistent positive visual phenomena, visual snow, and other migrainous visual disturbances. The term migraine with prolonged aura might be a useful bridge between typical aura and persistent aura. Further studies would be necessary to assess whether a return of the classification category eventually helps diagnosing or treating patients more effectively. A practical approach is presented to help the treating physician to assign the correct diagnosis and to choose a medication for treatment that has been successful in case reports of these rare but disabling conditions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Headache |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2016 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Cortical spreading depression
- Migraine aura
- Migraine aura status
- Persistent migraine aura
- Prolonged migraine aura
- Visual snow
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
Persistent and Repetitive Visual Disturbances in Migraine : A Review. / Schankin, Christoph J.; Viana, Michele; Goadsby, Peter J.
In: Headache, 2016.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Persistent and Repetitive Visual Disturbances in Migraine
T2 - A Review
AU - Schankin, Christoph J.
AU - Viana, Michele
AU - Goadsby, Peter J.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Visual disturbances in migraineurs, such as visual aura, are typically episodic, that is, associated with the headache attack, and overlaid by head pain and other symptoms that impact the patient. In some patients, however, visual symptoms are dominant due to frequency (migraine aura status), duration (persistent migraine aura and other persistent positive visual phenomena), or complexity (visual snow syndrome). These syndromes are more rare and challenging to classify in clinical practice resulting in a lack of systematic studies on pathophysiology and treatment. We aim at describing clinical features and pathophysiological concepts of typical migraine aura with a focus on cortical spreading depression and differentiation from non-typical migraine aura. Additionally, we discuss nomenclature and the specifics of migraine aura status, persistent migraine aura, persistent positive visual phenomena, visual snow, and other migrainous visual disturbances. The term migraine with prolonged aura might be a useful bridge between typical aura and persistent aura. Further studies would be necessary to assess whether a return of the classification category eventually helps diagnosing or treating patients more effectively. A practical approach is presented to help the treating physician to assign the correct diagnosis and to choose a medication for treatment that has been successful in case reports of these rare but disabling conditions.
AB - Visual disturbances in migraineurs, such as visual aura, are typically episodic, that is, associated with the headache attack, and overlaid by head pain and other symptoms that impact the patient. In some patients, however, visual symptoms are dominant due to frequency (migraine aura status), duration (persistent migraine aura and other persistent positive visual phenomena), or complexity (visual snow syndrome). These syndromes are more rare and challenging to classify in clinical practice resulting in a lack of systematic studies on pathophysiology and treatment. We aim at describing clinical features and pathophysiological concepts of typical migraine aura with a focus on cortical spreading depression and differentiation from non-typical migraine aura. Additionally, we discuss nomenclature and the specifics of migraine aura status, persistent migraine aura, persistent positive visual phenomena, visual snow, and other migrainous visual disturbances. The term migraine with prolonged aura might be a useful bridge between typical aura and persistent aura. Further studies would be necessary to assess whether a return of the classification category eventually helps diagnosing or treating patients more effectively. A practical approach is presented to help the treating physician to assign the correct diagnosis and to choose a medication for treatment that has been successful in case reports of these rare but disabling conditions.
KW - Cortical spreading depression
KW - Migraine aura
KW - Migraine aura status
KW - Persistent migraine aura
KW - Prolonged migraine aura
KW - Visual snow
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84995587893&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84995587893&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/head.12946
DO - 10.1111/head.12946
M3 - Article
JO - Headache
JF - Headache
SN - 0017-8748
ER -