Electroencephalography in migraine: a review with focus on quantitative electroencephalography and the migraine vs. epilepsy relationship.
EEG-studies in migraine in the last decade has contributed modestly to the understanding of headache pathogenesis. Headache patient groups seem to have increased EEG responses to photic stimulation, but a useful biological marker for migraine in single patients has not been found. In future EEG and QEEG studies we recommend to use follow-up designs and record several EEGs across the migraine cycle. It is also important to use a blinded study design in order to avoid selection bias. A clinical EEG should be performed in patients with acute headache attacks when either epilepsy, basilar migraine, migraine with prolonged aura or alternating hemiplegia is suspected. Unequivocal epileptiform abnormalities usually suggest a diagnosis of epilepsy. In children with occipital spike-wave activity the probable diagnosis is childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (CEOP). The final diagnosis of either an epilepsy syndrome or migraine must be mainly based on a clinical judgement [corrected].
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Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, Trondheim, Norway. trond.sand@medisin.ntnu.no
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation