Phenotypic and genetic analysis of a large family with migraine-associated vertigo

To describe a large multigenerational family with migraine-associated vertigo (MAV) combining a detailed phenotypic and genetic analysis.

Migraine-associated vertigo is said to be highly prevalent in the general population and, like other migraine syndromes, its etiology is felt to have a strong genetic component. However, so far, there have been no reports of large families with MAV.

Detailed clinical study was conducted on a large multigenerational family with MAV. Genetic study using identical-by-descent analysis with dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays was performed to examine consistent inheritance pattern among the affecteds.

Clinical features of MAV were variable although most had other migraine symptoms with at least some of their attacks. We did not find a region of the genome shared by all eight subjects with MAV indicating a polygenetic inheritance for MAV even in this single large family.

A region on 11q shared by most affected females may contain a susceptibility allele for MAV that is expressed exclusively or predominantly by women.