Confusional migraine is an adult as well as a childhood disease.
BACKGROUND
Acute confusional migraine (ACM) is considered a rare migraine variant primarily seen in children and adolescents.


METHODS
We present a series of eight adults and two adolescents suffering from migraine attacks associated with transient confusional states.


RESULTS
Eight patients reported two or more such attacks. One of them reported mild head trauma in the past. One patient reported mild head trauma as a possible trigger. Further investigations were unremarkable in all patients and did not suggest underlying structural abnormalities, epilepsy or cerebrovascular disease. In none of these patients did we find another cause to explain the observed phenomenon.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this series of patients, we suggest expanding the concept of confusional migraine from the paediatric population to adults. The temporal course of the confusion as well as the association with visual and other aura symptoms suggest cortical spreading depression as the underlying pathophysiology.
Gantenbein
Andreas R
AR
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. andreas.gantenbein@usz.ch
Riederer
Franz
F
Mathys
Jan
J
Biethahn
Silke
S
Gossrau
Gudrun
G
Waldvogel
Daniel
D
Sándor
Peter S
PS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003221:Confusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult