[Perceptional disorders in migraine.]

Perceptual disorders in patients with migraine are common and therefore well known in the optic sense. However, a review of the literature reveals a variety of perceptual phenomena with regard to all of the senses as well as disturbances in body image and physical sensations. The criteria for interpreting these phenomena in the context of migraine disorder, even if they are not accompanied by headache, are: the reaction to migraine therapy; previous occurrence, together with a migraine headache; a family history of migraine. From a psychopathological perspective, selected features of the phenomena and questions regarding terminology are discussed: the phenomena should be referred to as hallucinations, the headache itself is real and should not be called a hallucination.