BILATERAL ASYMMETRY OF CEREBRAL BLOOD VELOCITY IN CLUSTER HEADACHE

In this study, 69 episodic cluster headache (CH) patients (40 in the a ctive phase, 29 in remission period) underwent a complete TCD examinat ion in order to verify the relationship between cerebral blood velocit ies (CBVs) and the clinical profile of the disease. Fifteen patients w ere examined during both phases, while 7 were monitored during a spont aneous attack. Sixty-three healthy sex and age-matched controls were a lso studied. We measured widespread, asymmetric CBV activation during the active phase, bilaterally in the anterior circulation and also in the post error circulation. A relative reduction of CBV on the anterio r cerebral artery pain side, also during remission, suggests a relatio nship between local vasodilation and the autonomic symptoms ipsilatera l to pain during CH attacks.