MIGRAINE - DIAGNOSIS AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

The new classification of headaches will be briefly described. The mai n primary headaches are migraine with and without aura, tension-type h eadache and cluster headache. The operational diagnostic criteria for migraine with aura, migraine without aura and episodic tension-type he adache will be presented. After this the clinical pictures of migraine with aura (previously classic migraine) and migraine without aura (pr eviously common migraine) will be described. At last the current conce pts concerning pathophysiology, regional cerebral blood flow changes, changes in extra- and intracranial arteries and mechanisms of action o f ergotamine and sumatriptan will be presented.