Migraine-tic syndrome: Two further case reports

Cephalalgia. 2017 Mar;37(3):290-293. doi: 10.1177/0333102416644436. Epub 2016 Jul 11.

Abstract

Background Migraine-tic syndrome was first reported in 2004 in a 44-year-old woman who had concomitant symptoms of both typical trigeminal neuralgia and migraine. We report here two further cases of migraine-tic syndrome and speculate on the relevance of this condition to the pathophysiology of headache. Case reports A 43-year-old woman presented with typical trigeminal neuralgia symptoms that preceded the onset of migraine headache; both headache types responded to treatment with sumatriptan. A 35-year-old woman presented with trigeminal neuralgia that consistently followed the onset of migraine headache. The former aspect responded to baclofen, but the migraine headache required treatment with amitriptyline. Discussion These two patients provide further support for the presence of an overlap syndrome of migraine-tic. We suggest that there is a common pathway for trigeminal neuralgia and migraine.

Keywords: Migraine; migraine-tic; trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia; trigeminal neuralgia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Migraine Disorders / complications*
  • Migraine Disorders / physiopathology
  • Syndrome
  • Tics / complications
  • Tics / physiopathology
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / complications*
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / physiopathology