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Published on: December 18, 2016
Links between headaches and epilepsy: current knowledge and terminology.
A Caminero1, R Manso-Calderón1
1Sección de Neurología, Complejo Asistencial de Ávila, Ávila, España.
Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain)
|January 6, 2012
Summary
Headaches and epilepsy frequently co-occur, with headaches sometimes preceding, accompanying, or following seizures. Understanding this link is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment of these neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Headaches, including migraines, and epilepsy exhibit significant comorbidity.
- The relationship between headaches and epilepsy is complex and not fully understood.
- Historical and current clinical observations suggest a link between these two neurological disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the known associations between headaches and epilepsy.
- To explore the underlying physiopathologic and genetic mechanisms linking these conditions.
- To summarize recommended treatments for patients with comorbid headaches and epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- A literature review of relevant publications on headache/migraine and epilepsy.
- Utilized the PubMed database for study selection.
- Synthesized information on clinical presentations, mechanisms, and treatments.
Main Results:
- Headaches can occur independently of seizures (interictal) or in close temporal relation (pre-ictal, ictal, post-ictal).
- Specific headache types include ictal epileptic headache, hemicrania epileptica, pre-ictal headache, post-ictal headache, and migralepsy.
- The terminology for headache-epilepsy associations is evolving with increased understanding.
Conclusions:
- The evolving understanding of headache and epilepsy associations necessitates refined terminology.
- Some propose standardizing terms like 'ictal epileptic headache' and 'hemicrania epileptica' in all classifications.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the shared mechanisms and optimize management strategies.
Keywords:
AuraCefaleaCrisis epilépticaEpilepsiaEpilepsyEpileptic seizuresHeadacheMigraineMigralepsiaMigralepsyMigrañaMore Related Videos
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