[Loss of consciousness in migraine]

The author conducted a clinico-electrophysiological study of 350 patients with migraine. In 12.5% of the patients there were cases with a loss of consciousness. The conclusion is made that in combination of one attack of symptoms of migraine and epilepsy they have one pathogenesis: vasomotor disorders evoking both migrainose crises and syncopes with a convulsive syndrome. Quite typical of such conditions are precursors, massive vegetative disturbances, a tonic character of the convulsions. A loss of consciousness in the intra-attack period may be assessed as a syncope, mainly of orthostatic and vaso-vagal type; a loss of consciousness during the attack--as a syncope connected with migrainose disorders of cerebral hemodynamics. In alternation of migrainose and epileptical attacks it is claimed that there is a combination of 2 diseases. The conclusion is made that a loss of consciousness in migraine and epilepsy are different not only by clinical signs, but by its pathogenesis. This fact determines the preventive therapy of both diseases.