Familial Hemiplegic Migraine, A Case Report Of Attack Associated Findings

Recent studies have shed more light onto the genetical basis of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) as a channelopathy due to 3 abnormal loci of the brain specific P/Q type calcium channel alpha 1A subunit gene (CACNA1A) on chromosome 1 and 19p13 [1]. CACNA1A regulates the release of various neurotransmitters, probably including serotonin. Circulatory changes detected by different imaging techniques during migraine also support the pathophysiological role of spreading depression at least in migraine with aura [2]. Nevertheless there is much left to learn about the specific pathophysiology leading to clinically recognized phenomena such as headache and transient palsy. In this report we present some neurophysiological and imaging data from a 32-year old man with FHM, which were recorded during a hemiplegic attack lasting for 7 days.