The Link Between Migraine, Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome and Cervical Artery Dissection

Jérôme Mawet; Stéphanie Debette; Marie-Germaine Bousser; Anne Ducros

doi:10.1111/head.12798

The Link Between Migraine, Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome and Cervical Artery Dissection

Headache. 2016 Apr;56(4):645-56. doi: 10.1111/head.12798. Epub 2016 Mar 26.

Authors

Jérôme Mawet¹, Stéphanie Debette², Marie-Germaine Bousser³, Anne Ducros⁴

Affiliations

¹ Emergency Headache Center, Department of Neurology, GH Saint-Louis-Lariboisière, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris APHP, Université Paris Denis Diderot and DHU NeuroVasc Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France (J. Mawet).
² Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U897 Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Neurology, Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux, France (S. Debette).
³ Department of Neurology, GH Saint-Louis-Lariboisière, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris APHP, Université Paris Denis Diderot and DHU NeuroVasc Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France (M.-G. Bousser).
⁴ Department of Neurology, Montpellier University Hospital and Montpellier University, Montpellier, France (A. Ducros).

PMID: 27016026
DOI: 10.1111/head.12798

Abstract

Headache is the common thread of migraine, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) and cervical artery dissection (CeAD), three medical conditions that otherwise appear to be very different. However, epidemiological, clinical and genetic data suggest that these conditions share common and complex features and are, at least partly, linked. The purpose of this manuscript is to review existing evidence for an association between migraine, RCVS and CeAD and discuss the potential underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: cerebrovascular disease; cervical artery dissection; headache; migraine; reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection / epidemiology*
Humans
Migraine Disorders / epidemiology*
Vasospasm, Intracranial / epidemiology*
Vertebral Artery Dissection / epidemiology*