Visual-evoked potentials as additional diagnostic procedure in migraine headaches in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Patients with migraine often show abnormalities in visual evoked potentials (VEP). The aim is to confirm diagnostic value of VEP in children and adolescents suffering from migraine and to compare findings with the control group of patients. VEPs were performed in 37 patients aged 6–19 with different types of migraine, interictally recorded and compared to the control group of patients, matched for both age and sex. Migraine without aura was diagnosed in 18 (48.6%), migraine with aura in 17 (46.0%) and ophtalmoplegic migraine in 2 (5.4%) patients. Interictal P100 latency was below 110 ms in 23 (62.2%), between 110 and 112 ms in 12 (32.4%) and above 117 ms in 2 (5.4%) cases. Amplitude P100-N2 compared to the control group was higher in 19 (51.4%) and lower in 18 (48.6%) cases. Study suggests how PRVEP can be used as the diagnostic procedure in children and adolescent migraineurs.