MIGRAINE AFTER ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY

The first detailed case report of recurrent common migraine after elec troconvulsive therapy (ECT) is presented; it involves a 52-year-old wo man with major depressive disorder. The migraine symptoms corresponded to those of the infrequent spontaneous migraine attacks she had. Afte r a change to propofol as the anesthetic because of methohexital intol erance, the migraine attacks ceased, apparently due to seizure general ization being inhibited by propofol. In patients with migraine, ECT ma y be expected to trigger a migraine attack, probably in the same way a s spontaneous seizures. The possible reasons and significance are disc ussed.