Cerebral blood flow in migraine and cluster headache. Compartmental analysis and reactivity to anaesthetic depression.

Abstract

CBF was studied in 15 cases of vascular headache by the 135Xe intra-arterial injection method. The mean CBF was found to be increased during the headache phase of the migraine attacks in half the cases, mainly due to an increase in the rapid component (CBFg). After the attack there could be an increase or a decrease of the slow component (CBFw). Reactivity to anaesthetic depression was studied in 8 migraine cases and on the whole it was found not to be much altered in most cases. Finally, no modifications of CBF were found in any of 3 cases of cluster headache who were studied during attacks of severe pain.