TY - JOUR

T1 - Cerebral blood flow velocities are reduced during attacks of unilateral migraine without aura

AU - Thomsen, L L

AU - Iversen, Helle Klingenberg

AU - Olesen, J

PY - 1995/4

Y1 - 1995/4

N2 - It has been disputed whether or not large intracranial arteries are dilated during migraine attacks. In order to answer this question the present transcranial Doppler study focused on side-to-side differences of middle cerebral artery blood velocity during unilateral attacks of migraine without aura in 25 patients. Blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery was lower on the headache side (59 cm/s) than on the non-headache side (65 cm/s) during the migraine attack. No such difference was found outside of attack (65 cm/s both sides). The difference (headache side minus non-headache side) was on average -6.1 cm/s during attack compared to -0.4 cm/s outside of attack (p = 0.01). Assuming that rCBF is unchanged during attacks of migraine without aura, our results suggest a 9% increase in middle cerebral artery lumen (cross-sectional area) on the affected side during unilateral attacks of migraine without aura. The findings, however, do not necessarily mean that arterial dilatation is the only or even the most significant cause of pain.

AB - It has been disputed whether or not large intracranial arteries are dilated during migraine attacks. In order to answer this question the present transcranial Doppler study focused on side-to-side differences of middle cerebral artery blood velocity during unilateral attacks of migraine without aura in 25 patients. Blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery was lower on the headache side (59 cm/s) than on the non-headache side (65 cm/s) during the migraine attack. No such difference was found outside of attack (65 cm/s both sides). The difference (headache side minus non-headache side) was on average -6.1 cm/s during attack compared to -0.4 cm/s outside of attack (p = 0.01). Assuming that rCBF is unchanged during attacks of migraine without aura, our results suggest a 9% increase in middle cerebral artery lumen (cross-sectional area) on the affected side during unilateral attacks of migraine without aura. The findings, however, do not necessarily mean that arterial dilatation is the only or even the most significant cause of pain.

KW - Adult

KW - Blood Flow Velocity

KW - Cerebrovascular Circulation

KW - Female

KW - Functional Laterality

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Migraine Disorders

KW - Statistics as Topic

KW - Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 7641244

VL - 15

SP - 109

EP - 116

JO - Cephalalgia

JF - Cephalalgia

SN - 0800-1952

IS - 2

ER -