Rheoencephalographic observations in migraine

Abstract

Amongst the various forms of headache migraine is differentiated by three main criteria: (1) intense pain, hemicranic in type, of which (2) beginning and termination are clearly defined (meaning pain occurs in socalled fits or attacks) and which is (3) recurring periodically. It should be distinguished from continuous headache (vasomotor cephalea) even if the latter is only one-sided (hemicranic) and pulsating or of changing intensity as in waves. Typical and rare symptoms accompanying migraine such as vomiting, scotomata, vegetative disturbances and others we shall not discuss here since they have been presented separately (Barolin 4 ). Lately, several "vaso-neuro-active substances" have been described (mainly by Sicuteri 26 and Saraiva 22 ) and their role in the evolution of migraine was stressed. Inspite of these new humoral aspects which are being studied, the aforementioned aspect of vascular phenomena in the pathophysiology of migraine remains to be regarded as the most pertinent and ascertained concept at this time. The pathophysiological concept of migraine originated in studies ofTherefore, it seems most convenient to have an indirect electrical method available for observing cerebro-vascular changes; rheoencephalography (REG) is a method which allows apparently to objectivate such changes. It should