title: Relationship between migraine and epilepsy in pediatric age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many studies have supported the hypothesis of alteration of cortical hyperexcitability as a possible pathological mechanism underlying the onset of migraine and epileptic attacks. Different biochemical pathways involving cellular structures may increase or decrease the excitability of neuronal membranes. The aim of this study was to identify a possible link between migraine and epilepsy from a clinical and neurophysiologic point of view.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred thirty-seven children and adolescents consecutively diagnosed for tension-type headache and idiopathic migraine with and without aura were studied. Anamnestic, clinical, and instrumental data were collected by a neurological examination, a specific questionnaire, and awake electroencephalogram (EEG) registrations. EEG features of nonheadache and nonseizures control group were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen cases (10.2%) had a positive history for seizures with fever, isolated seizures, or epilepsy. Distribution differed according to headache diagnosis; migraine with aura (MWA) was largely prevalent. Specific electroencephalographic abnormalities were present in 11.7% of the sample, with a significant different distribution across the groups of children with headache and the control group: specific interictal abnormalities were found in 10 of 23 (43.5%) children with MWA. Two factors, seizures and specific interictal electroencephalographic abnormalities, showed a different distribution in patients with MWA compared to other classes of headache and control group (P < or = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the hypothesis of a possible clinical continuum between some types of MWA and epileptic syndromes as entities due to altered neuronal excitability with similar genetic substrates.
authors.affiliation: Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Insubria, Macchi Foundation Hospital, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piccinelli
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borgatti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calcagno
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quadrelli
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzi
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Balottin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000150:complications