[Recurrent cortical blindness after LSD-intake].
Recurrent disturbances of vision associated with headaches are typical signs of a migraine. A 15-year-old girl suffered from common migraine. The patient had a headache and nausea five days after a first and proved intake of LSD. Shortly later, a complete blindness of both eyes developed within seconds. These symptoms continued for 48 hours. As the pupillar reactions were intact the findings were consistent with cortical blindness. MRI and MR-angiography of the brain, analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid and blood investigations for thrombophilia were normal. The EEG showed a bilateral symmetrical delta wave slowing over the occipital areas. Within the following three months the girl had three more episodes with complete blindness over a period of 12-36 hours. There have never been any visual disturbances in between the episodes and afterwards. Extended diagnosis with long term blood pressure measurement, Doppler sonography and visual evoked potentials were normal. The occipital slowing in the EEG persisted for 18 months. As the symptoms were unusually long and severe for a complicated migraine it is possible that the temporary blindness was the correlate of flash backs caused by the LSD. LSD intake could trigger additional, local cortical dysfunction (e. g. in the occipital areas) in preexisting migraine.
Bernhard
M K
MK
Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Kinder und Jugendliche, Liebigstrasse 20a, Leipzig. Matthias.Bernhard@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Ulrich
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D019575:Blindness, Cortical / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012008:Recurrence
D006213:Hallucinogens; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide