title: Is the development of visual contrast sensitivity impaired in children with migraine? An exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impairment of visual contrast sensitivity is a well-known phenomenon in adult migraineurs. Little is known, however, about whether contrast sensitivity deficits are already present in children with migraine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an exploratory study with 18 children with migraine without aura, in which we tested our subjects' visual contrast sensitivity. Eighteen age- and sex-matched healthy children served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the youngest subjects (6-10 years) we found no significant differences at any of the spatial frequencies tested, as compared to the controls, whereas from the age of 10 on, migraineurs exhibited significantly poorer contrast sensitivity, especially at the lower spatial frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, we are the first to report on such a deficit in children, and we conclude that our findings might be interpreted as reflecting an increased vulnerability of the visual system to migraine attacks as part of the migrainous endophenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, University of Szeged, Hungary. bgabor@phys.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Braunitzer
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rokszin
authors.forename: Jeno
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kóbor
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benedek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology*