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Autonomic headache with autonomic seizures: a case report
Aynur Ozge1, Hakan Kaleagasi, Fazilet Yalçin Tasmertek
1Department of Neurology, Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey. aozge@mersin.edu.tr
The Journal of Headache and Pain
|October 24, 2006
Summary
This case report describes a 19-year-old male with autonomic seizures who experienced a unique hemicranial headache. The headache, possibly a non-trigeminal autonomic headache, improved with anti-epileptic treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epileptology
- Headache Medicine
Background:
- Complex partial seizures (CPS) can present with diverse neurological symptoms.
- Autonomic dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a comorbidity in epilepsy.
- Headache is a common neurological symptom, often associated with seizures.
Observation:
- A 19-year-old male with a 15-year history of CPS presented with a 2-year history of left hemicranial headache.
- The headache was independent of seizures and provoked by watching television, accompanied by autonomic complaints.
- Brain MRI revealed right hippocampal sclerosis, and EEG showed right hemispheric epileptic activity.
Findings:
- The patient's headache did not meet criteria for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs).
- It differed from typical epileptic headaches, characterized by pressing forehead pain.
- Treatment with valproic acid led to a decrease in both headache and autonomic complaints.
Implications:
- This case suggests a potential link between epilepsy and non-trigeminal autonomic headaches.
- It highlights the importance of considering autonomic headache presentations in epileptic patients.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the pathophysiology of autonomic headaches in the context of epilepsy.
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