title: Phenotype of migraine headache and migraine aura of Richard Wagner.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The headache phenotype and neurological symptoms of the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883), whose music dramas count towards the most frequently performed operas across the world, are previously undocumented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Richard Wagner's own descriptions of his headache symptoms in his original writings and letters are investigated, as well as the complete diary records of his second wife, Cosima Wagner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are manifold indications that Richard Wagner suffered from a severe headache disorder, which fulfils most likely the diagnostic criteria of migraine without aura and migraine with aura of ICHD-3 beta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Richard Wagner's life and opus can help to better understand the burden and suffering caused by migraine with its severe effects on the individual, familial and social life, the culture and community.
authors.affiliation: Kiel Migraine and Headache Centre, Kiel, Germany Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.affiliation: Kiel Migraine and Headache Centre, Kiel, Germany Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Germany Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Carl H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.affiliation: Kiel Migraine and Headache Centre, Kiel, Germany hg@schmerzklinik.de.
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Göbel
mesh_terms: D005197:Famous Persons; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000266:history*; D010641:Phenotype
keywords: Headache; Richard Wagner; migraine with aura; migraine without aura; opera