A Neuronal Hyper-responsiveness in PRVEPs of Migraine Patients

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 19(3); 2001 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2001;19(3): 239-244.

편두통 환자의 형태변환성 시각유발전위에서의 신경원성 과반응

김우정, 한정호 하현욱 송은향 이정석 김두응

한국보훈병원 신경과

A Neuronal Hyper-responsiveness in PRVEPs of Migraine Patients

Woo Jung Kim, M.D., Jeong Ho Han, M.D., Hyun Wook Ha, M.D., Eun Hyang Song, M.D., Jung Suk Lee, M.D., Doo Eung Kim, M.D.

Department of Neurology, Korea Veterans Hospital

Abstract

"Background : Although a number of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) studies have been performed to elucidate the pathophysiology of migraines, their results have been controversial. We studied the pattern-reversal visual evoked poten-tials (PRVEPs) during long periods of stimulation to show whether or not PRVEPs in migraines are abnormal. Methods : Patients were divided into two groups; Group 1 (migraine with aura; MWA, n=29) and Group 2 (migraine without aura ; MOA, n=32) according to the International Headache Society criteria. PRVEPs were performed in both groups and in healthy volunteers (n=62). PRVEPs were averaged in 100 responses for a total duration of 10 minutes after an initial 3 minutes during stimulation and were analysed in terms of latencies and peak to peak amplitudes of N1-P1 and P1-N2 peaks. Results : Amplitudes of PRVEPs in migraines showed significant increases compared to normal subjects (p<0.001), and amplitudes of PRVEPs in MWA showed significant increases compared to those in MOA (p<0.05). Conclusions : These results are explained by cortical hypoexcitability and hyper-responsiveness in migraine and by addi-tional cortical hyper-responsiveness (another hyper-responsiveness) in MWA compared to MOA. We suggest that sero-tonergic and noradrenergic hyperactivity could be responsible for cortical hypoexcitability and hyper-responsiveness in a migraine brain. Another hyper-responsiveness in MWA could also be thought of as some evidence for cortical neuronal abnormality in MWA in addition to serotonergic and noradrenergic hyperactivity in a migraine brain. J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3):239~244, 2001 Key Words : Evoked potential, Migraine, Cortical response"