Migraine after electroconvulsive therapy

The first detailed case report of recurrent common migraine after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is presented; it involves a 52-year-old woman with major depressive disorder. The migraine symptoms corresponded to those of the infrequent spontaneous migraine attacks she had. After a change to propofol as the anesthetic because of methohexital intolerance, the migraine attacks ceased, apparently due to seizure generalization being inhibited by propofol. In patients with migraine, ECT may be expected to trigger a migraine attack, probably in the same way as spontaneous seizures. The possible reasons and significance are discussed.