Raquel Gil?Gouveia|António G. Oliveira|Isabel Pavão Martins
Cognitive dysfunction during migraine attacks: A study on migraine without aura
University of Lisbon|Hospital da Luz|Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte|University of Lisbon
background cognitive difficulties contribute patients disability migraine attacks overlooked migraine research neuropsychological studies performed attacks produced inconsistent findings due design differences limitations objective objective document changes cognitive performance migraine patients migraine attacks comprehensive battery cognitivebehavioral tests controlling potential confounders method prospective twoperiod randomized crossover study compared withinsubject neuropsychological evaluation two conditionsduring naturally occurring untreated migraine attack headachefree period results thirtynine patients episodic migraine 37 females average 38 years old included 24 completed study participants performed worse attack majority cognitive tests compared headachefree status significantly word reading speed p 0013 verbal learning p 001 shortterm verbal recall p 001 without p 0013 semantic cueing delayed recall p 0003 without p 005 semantic cues differences found unrelated age gender literacy condition order interval evaluations anxiety pain intensity duration attack discussion cognitive performance decreases migraine attacks especially reading processing speed verbal memory learning supporting patients subjective complaints findings suggest existence reversible brain dysfunction attacks migraine without aura relate specifically migraine consequence acute pain processing brain