title: Characteristics of migraine visual aura in Southern Brazil and Northern USA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Migraine aura, made up of one or more neurological symptoms arising from the cortex or brainstem, is a complex neurological phenomenon. Visual aura is the most frequent aura manifestation. Studying the subjective components of visual aura makes it possible to identify common characteristics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To thoroughly describe the characteristics of migraine visual aura in patients with migraine with aura.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective, descriptive study of the visual aura of 122 migraine patients collected at two headache clinics in the Americas. This study was designed to determine the characteristics of a typical visual aura.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common features of the visual aura in our study are that it occurs before the headache with a gap of less than 30 minutes, lasts 5 to 30 minutes, has a gradual onset, usually begins peripherally, is unilateral, and shimmers. Furthermore, the location of typical visual aura in the visual field has no fixed relationship to headache laterality, is slightly more often without color, and is often described as small bright dots and zigzag lines. Blurred vision, not typically considered to be an aura phenomenon of cortical origin, is in fact the most frequently reported visual symptom.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Migraine visual aura is heterogeneous and pleomorphic, and some of our findings run contrary to common beliefs.
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil. lpqueiroz@floripa.com.br
authors: Luiz Paulo
authors: LP
authors: Queiroz
authors: Deborah Isa
authors: DI
authors: Friedman
authors: Alan Mark
authors: AM
authors: Rapoport
authors: R Allan
authors: RA
authors: Purdy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020325:Migraine with Aura; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult