Steady-state visual-evoked potentials in headache: diagnostic value in migraine and tension-type headache patients

We tested the hypothesis that migraine and tension-type headache are separate disorders based on visual evoked potentials. We recruited 120 migraine without aura patients (MwoA), 64 tension-type headache patients (TTH), and 51 healthy controls. We performed discriminant analysis combined with a stepwise selection of predictors. Mean values of the F1 component were significantly increased over Fp1, C3, P4, O2 and O1 electrodes in MwoA and TTH patients compared with normal subjects. Only the control subjects were correctly distinguished. The increased brain response to visual stimulation detected in both MwoA and TTH may suggest a common neuronal dysfunction in the two headache subtypes.