Beyond Vertigo: Vestibular, Aural, and Perceptual Symptoms in Vestibular Migraine.

PURPOSE: To review the vestibular, aural, and perceptual symptoms of vestibular migraine (VM) that may present alongside vertigo. RECENT FINDINGS: Increased research attention to the wide spectrum of symptoms presenting in VM patients has improved understanding of this disorder, with recent identification of five different VM phenotypes. Research into the clinical overlap between VM and other chronic vestibular syndromes such as persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and mal-de-debarquement syndrome reveals a range of vestibular symptoms and hints at pathophysiological connections between migraine and vestibular dysfunction. Studies of migraine treatment for hearing loss suggest patients presenting with aural symptoms may have an underlying diagnosis of migraine and deserve a trial of migraine preventives. Research into the neurologic basis of the perceptual disorder Alice in Wonderland syndrome has revealed brain areas that are likely involved and may help explain its prevalence in VM patients. VM is a sensory processing disorder that presents with more than just vertigo. Understanding the range of potential symptoms improves diagnosis and treatment for migraine patients whose diagnosis may be missed when only the symptoms identified in the diagnostic criteria are considered.

Vestibular Migraine Pathophysiology and Treatment: a Narrative Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the diagnosis of vestibular migraine (VM) and update the clinician on the most recent developments in our understanding of its pathophysiology and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Functional imaging studies have identified multiple regions of the brain with abnormal activity and connectivity in VM. There is evidence of abnormal sensory processing and integration in VM patients. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has also been found to play a role in trigeminal and vestibular nucleus pathways. Research into treatment modalities has identified several neuromodulation devices that may be effective in VM. There are a growing number of evidence-based preventive options for VM, including medications that target CGRP. VM is best understood as a sensory processing disorder. CGRP appears to play a role, and further research is needed to fully understand its effects. Treatment options are expanding, but there is still a need for more randomly controlled trials in this area.

Current and emerging pharmacotherapy for menstrual migraine: a narrative review.

INTRODUCTION: In this article, we discuss menstrual migraine (MM), which can be categorized as menstrually related migraine (MRM) or pure menstrual migraine (PMM). MM attacks are often longer, more severe, and harder to treat than other migraine attacks. Appropriate treatment strategies include acute treatment, short term preventive treatment, and daily preventive treatment, depending on the patient's pattern of migraine and occurrence of migraine outside the menstrual period. AREAS COVERED: A PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Ovid search from inception to October 2022 provided articles relating to MM pathophysiology and treatment. EXPERT OPINION: In patients for whom standard acute therapy is inadequate, short term or daily preventive treatment should be considered. Patients with PMM may be adequately managed with short term preventive treatment started 2 days prior to the onset of migraine and continued for 5-6 days. Frovatriptan is the mainstay of short-term prevention. Patients who experience additional attacks outside the menstrual period may benefit from daily preventive treatment. Estrogen-containing contraceptive treatment may be effective in appropriately selected patients. Emerging research on the pathophysiology of MM indicates that oxytocin agonists and CGRP antagonists may prove to be effective treatment options.

Care Gaps and Recommendations in Vestibular Migraine: An Expert Panel Summit.

Vestibular migraine (VM) is an increasingly recognized pathology yet remains as an underdiagnosed cause of vestibular disorders. While current diagnostic criteria are codified in the 2012 Barany Society document and included in the third edition of the international classification of headache disorders, the pathophysiology of this disorder is still elusive. The Association for Migraine Disorders hosted a multidisciplinary, international expert workshop in October 2020 and identified seven current care gaps that the scientific community needs to resolve, including a better understanding of the range of symptoms and phenotypes of VM, the lack of a diagnostic marker, a better understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms, as well as the lack of clear recommendations for interventions (nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic) and finally, the need for specific outcome measures that will guide clinicians as well as research into the efficacy of interventions. The expert group issued several recommendations to address those areas including establishing a global VM registry, creating an improved diagnostic algorithm using available vestibular tests as well as others that are in development, conducting appropriate trials of high quality to validate current clinically available treatment and fostering collaborative efforts to elucidate the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying VM, specifically the role of the trigemino-vascular pathways.

Novel Medications for the Treatment of Migraine.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the new classes of medication for headache management and their roles in clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key component in the underlying pathophysiology of migraine. Research focused on targeting CGRP for headache treatment has led to the development of entirely new classes of medications - the gepants and the CGRP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) - for both acute and preventive treatment. A third class, the ditans, is being developed to target the 5-HT1F receptor to provide acute treatment without vasoconstrictive effects. METHODS: This article reviews the pathophysiology of migraine that has led to these new pharmacologic developments. Available information from randomized controlled trials, abstracts, press releases, and relevant preclinical studies is summarized for each class of medications. RESULTS: At the time of this writing, one ditan has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. One gepant is anticipated to be submitted within the first quarter of 2019, and others are in clinical trials. Three CGRP mAbs have been FDA approved and are now available in clinical practice, and a fourth was submitted in the first quarter of 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The development of new migraine-specific classes of medications provides more treatment options for both acute and preventive treatment of migraine.

Nummular Headache.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article reviews nummular headache (NH), including the latest literature on the epidemiological and clinical features, the most recent proposed pathophysiology, and novel management. RECENT FINDINGS: NH is characterized by continuous or intermittent head pain confined to a focal circumscribed area (1-6 cm in diameter). It is usually of mild to moderate intensity, although some patients have severe continuous pain or disabling exacerbations. NH is a primary headache, though many secondary cases have been described. Evaluation requires exclusion of systemic and structural diseases. Gabapentin can be recommended as a first-line preventive treatment. If poorly tolerated or in refractory cases, botulinum toxin is a reasonable alternative. NH is a fairly common disorder in patients presenting to a headache clinic. Increased understanding of NH will lead to improved outcomes. Clinical trials would lead to enhanced knowledge of NH.

Exploding Head Syndrome: a Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To explain our current understanding of exploding head syndrome (EHS), an unusual and underreported sensory parasomnia. RECENT FINDINGS: Based on findings from recent studies of EHS, the prevalence is higher than previously suggested by the literature, which historically has consisted mostly of case reports. The typical presentation also has been better illustrated by recent case series, and diagnostic criteria have been defined. Its pathophysiology is still unclear. EHS is underrecognized and its symptoms are alarming, but a review of our current state of knowledge will allow physicians to make a diagnosis of this benign condition with greater confidence.