BASILAR ARTERY MIGRAINE - TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER EEG AND SPECT FROM THEAURA PHASE TO THE END

Transcranial Doppler. electroencephalography, and single photon emissi on computed tomography were performed in a case of basilar migraine du ring the different phases of the attack. In the aura phase, the patien t had bilateral blindness and ataxia. Doppler ultrasound studies showe d a reduction in the mean flow velocity of the posterior cerebral arte ries, electroencephalography showed slow activity confined to the post erior regions, and single photon emission computed tomography, an area of hypoperfusion in the right parietal and occipital regions. During the headache phase, when the neurological examination was normal, tran scranial Doppler showed an increase in the mean flow velocity of both posterior cerebral arteries and the electroencephalogram revealed an i ncrease in the slow activity over the occipital regions. When the pain subsided. the electroencephalogram showed a progressive reduction of the slow abnormalities and transcranial Doppler was reported at normal . After a week, single photon emission computed tomography and cranial magnetic resonance imaging were normal. After a month, a follow-up el ectroencephalogram was also normal. All these findings indicated a tra nsient focal reduction of cerebral blood flow during the aura phase.