2.Assessment of visual evoked potentials in migraineurs: A cross-sectional study
Nisha N Shenoy ; Gaurang K Gheewala ; Rakshith Kedambadi ; Shivanand Pai ; Misri Zulfikli K, ; Ramesh Naidu ; Rohit Pai ; Feral Daruwala
Neurology Asia 2020;25(4):493-500
Background & Objective: Many studies demonstrated that migraine patients have an interictal habituation
and deficit of visual evoked potentials. Controversially, other studies could not reproduce similar
finding. Hence, there is a dilemma regarding what should be the ultimate conclusions. The purpose
of this study was to compare amplitude and habituation of pattern reversal visual evoked potentials in
migraine with aura patients and healthy volunteers. Methods: A total of 40 migraine with aura patients
and 40 controls were prospectively enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Using the pattern reversal
stimuli, visual evoked potential were estimated in all the participants and abnormalities were noted.
Results: In migraine with aura patients, there was a statistically significant increase in the amplitude
of the P100 wave due to deficient habituation after 15 min stimulation. In normal subjects, there was a
decrease in the amplitude of the P100 wave due to the effect of habituation. The deficient habituation
can be because of decreased serotonin levels resulting in reduced pre-activation of the cortex.
Conclusion: Migraine with aura patients show evidence of abnormal cortical processing with interictal
hyperactivity seen in heightened responsiveness and lack of habituation to visual evoked responses.