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Disturbances in ocular sympathetic function and facial blood flow in unilateral migraine headache
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Disturbances in ocular sympathetic function and facial blood flow in unilateral migraine headache

P.D. Drummond
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, Vol.53, pp.121-125
1990
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Abstract

The relationship between thermographic asymmetry in various parts of the face and indices of ocular sympathetic outflow was examined in 80 patients with unilateral migrainous headache. Both during and between episodes of headache, the pupil on the symptomatic side dilated more slowly and less extensively in darkness than the opposite pupil, indicating that ocular sympathetic outflow was compromised in some patients. In such cases the upper forehead and orbital region were warmer on the symptomatic side during migraine. In contrast to these signs of a reduction in cervical sympathetic outflow, eyelid separation was greater on the symptomatic side in patients with headache on the side that was usually affected. During the headache-free interval no consistent thermographic asymmetry was detected and eyelid separation was similar on both sides. These findings suggest that extracranial vascular changes and ocular sympathetic dysfunction during migraine are secondary to activation of trigeminal-vascular reflexes or to antidromic release of vasoactive substances from trigeminal nerve terminals. A secondary deficit in the sympathetic pathway to the symptomatic pupil could also prevent the expression of an increase in sympathetic outflow during headache.

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Source: InCites

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Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.247 Migraines & Headaches
1.247.461 Migraine Mechanisms
Web Of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Psychiatry
Surgery
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
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