Cerebral infarction and migraine

Abstract

Cerebral infarction was documented by arteriography and serial computed cranial tomography (CT) in 4 young adults (ages 16-32 yr) with migraine. In 1 case, posterior cerebral artery occlusion produced a deep parietotemporal infarct. The other 3 cases all had frontotemporal infarcts (1 hemorrhagic) in the territory of the middle cerebral artery, without major arterial occlusion. Two infarcts produced lasting neurologic deficits; 1 was associated with mild, transitory symptoms and 1 was asymptomatic. Laboratory investigations in 2 cases revealed no hematologic or cardiovascular predisposition to cerebrovascular disease. Cerebral infarction, as revealed by CT, may be more prevalent in complicated migraine than is generally appreciated. Such lesions may or may not develop in chronologic and anatomic relationship to the headache, and may involve either large or small arteries. The prognosis for functional recovery, based on this limited sample, seems favorable.