Journal of the Neurological Sciences 184 (2001) 139–141 www.elsevier.com / locate / jns Visual evoked potential changes in migraine Influence of migraine attack and aura a b, a c * Mustafa Yilmaz , Yildirim A. Bayazit , Ibrahim Erbagci , Sadrettin Penc ¸e a Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Kolejtepe, Gaziantep, Turkey b Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Kolejtepe, Gaziantep, Turkey c Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Kolejtepe, Gaziantep, Turkey Received 15 August 2000; accepted 14 December 2000 Abstract Objective: To assess the visual evoked potential (VEP) changes in migraines with and without aura. Study design: A clinical study in which the VEP results of 45 migraineurs (study group) and 22 healthy volunteers (control group) were compared. Of 45 migraineurs, 29 had migraine with aura (MA) and 16 had migraine without aura (MOA), and they were examined both during and between the migraine attacks. Methods: The patients and healthy controls underwent VEP assessment. On VEP recording, mono-ocular stimulation was performed by means of the pattern reversal check board. The latencies of N1, P1 and N2, and the N1–P1 amplitude were noted. The following comparisons were made between NI, P1 and N2 latencies and N1–P1 amplitudes of the migraine and control groups; during and between attack the VEP results of the patients with MA and MOA. Results: The VEP results of the migraineurs and healthy controls were similar ( P.0.05). The during attack results of MA, during and between attack results of MOA, and the results of the control group were also similar ( P.0.05). N2 latency significantly elongated in patients with MA in the attack free period than it was during the attack ( P50.01), and was also longer than it was in the control group ( P50.01). Conclusions: There is involvement of the visual pathway in MA rather than MOA, and differentiation between these subtypes of the migraine disease may be performed on the basis of VEP findings manifesting by the prolongation of the N2 wave latency. This contention should be confirmed by further studies.  2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Migraine; Aura; Visual evoked potential 1. Introduction usually manifested by photophobia, photosensitivity and visual illusions during the migraine attacks [3,4]. Migraine is a common neurovascular disorder which is Visual evoked potentials (VEP) is a functional option characterized by severe episodes of headache and au- that facilitates assessment of the visual pathway. The tonomic and neurological symptoms. The migraine is presence of VEP changes was reported in a previous study believed to be the manifestation of a hereditary abnormal [5], while contradictory results were also reported [6]. sensitivity of neurovascular reactions to sudden changes in The objective of this study was to assess VEP changes in the internal or external environment or to cyclic changes in migraine, and to find out whether an association existed the central nervous system. The aura is not uncommon in between VEP changes and migraine attacks as well as aura. migraine and is usually visual [1,2]. The visual aura is 2. Materials and methods *Corresponding author. Tel.: 190-342-365-400; fax: 190-342-365- The diagnosis of migraine was made on the basis of the 505. E-mail address: bayazity@yahoo.com (Y.A. Bayazit). classification of the WHO International Headache Society 0022-510X / 01 / $ – see front matter  2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0022-510X(00)00503-7