Sleep and migraine: an actigraphic study

The aim of the study was to evaluate sleep of children with migraine during the interictal period and the modifications of sleep which precede, are concomitant with, or follow migraine attacks. Eighteen patients with migraine without aura were compared with a group of 17 healthy age-matched children. Sleep parameters were monitored for two full weeks by means of actigraphs and self-report diaries. Headache diaries were also filled out in order to evaluate the occurrence and the characteristics of migraine attacks. Fifty-seven attacks were recorded during the monitoring period. During the interictal period, sleep parameters of children suffering from migraine did not differ from those of controls; only sleep onset latency was slightly prolonged in the migraine group. Timing of the attack affected nocturnal motor activity which presented the lowest values on the night preceding the attack, indicating a decrease in cortical activation during sleep preceding migraine attacks. Further studies should clarify if the observed reduction in nocturnal motor activity close to the attack is related to neurotransmitter imbalance.