Recurrent Dreams in Migraine

An Investigation of the Manifest Dream Content Associated with Migraine Headaches: A Study of the Dreams That Precede Nocturnal Migraines

“…By contrast, no significant difference existed between migraine dreams and nonmigraine dreams in terms of the frequen cy of failure content. These findings of increased anger and apprehension associated with higher frequencies of aggressive interactions and misfortune support earlier clinical observations of Levitan [3] and Lippman [12], in which patients experienced unpleasant dreams associated with migraine occurrence, and certain kinds of dreams precipitated migraine attacks [3,12]. Further, our find ings supported Levitan's [3] theory that the presence of persistent negative affect in the dream stimulated the physiological response that led to migraines.…”

“…In this regard, our results tie together earliest research [1] and current research [2,3] in their agreement over the important role of emotion asso ciated with stress in migraine onset. Consequently, this study validated clinical suggestions that dreams may be an important medium for the manifestation of emotion associated with migraine attacks [3,12], Further, results indicated that the reduction of serotonin involved in migraine onset as a response to stress may be occurring in response to emotional dream content [R.P. Joyce, pers.…”

“…Individuals experienced dreams, primarily of terror, that resulted in migraine attacks [3,12], Levitan [3] attributed the pres ence of persistent negative affect in a dream to inciting the physiological response that led to migraine. Lippman [12] indicated that three different dream patterns appeared so regularly in his migraine patients that the recognition of these dreams contributed to diagnosis. He described simi lar feelings of horror or terror in the dreams associated with migraines.…”

Dreams Which Culminate in Migraine Headaches

“…Dreams containing outsized creatures are very com mon in migraine. Lippman [1954] considers them to be diagnostic of the migraine syn drome even if they are unaccompanied by headache. He points to the presence of sizechange phenomena in Alice in Wonderland written by Lewis Carrol, who was a migraineur.…”

Headaches as Seizure Equivalents

“…Recurrent dreams are mentioned by patients afflicted with migraine. 7 They consist of nightmares with feelings of horror and panic out of proportion to the actual dream situation. Various distorted and brilliantly-colored objects converge upon the dreamer who feels unable to avoid them.…”