Familial psychogenic blindness and headache: a case study.
BACKGROUND
Amaurosis is an uncommon conversion phenomenon, which to our knowledge has never been reported in multiple family members.


METHODS
A man and his two adult children, all afflicted with periods of blindness and accompanying severe headaches for varying periods of time (days to years), were examined and extensively studied radiologically and with multiple laboratory tests.


RESULTS
In all three individuals, no evidence of organic disease was found; all three recovered to varying degrees, usually after suggestion.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychogenic amaurosis with headaches can simulate migraine; the mechanism for occurrence in a family is probably similar to that of mass hysteria.
Ziegler
D K
DK
Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160-7314.
Schlemmer
R B
RB
D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D013404:Suggestion