Abstract

Differences in cognition between patients with migraines and healthy control subjects have been documented by several researchers, principally in the areas of attention, memory, and motor function. Patients with aura (MA) are more often reported to have interference with normal cognitive functioning and are thought to have a more severe neurological condition than do patients without aura (MO). We compared the cognitive profiles of 29 right-handed patients, recruited at the Montreal Neurological Hospital, and diagnosed with hemicranial MA and MO to that of 10 healthy control subjects (NC). Diagnosis was made according to the International Headache Society guidelines by a neurologist. From a personality perspective, higher levels of self-consciousness were documented in MA and M Left than in NC and MO (F = 2.67, p < .05). NC's response styles were more original while patients preferred more conservative ones (F = 4.65, p < .01). Examination of cognitive data from an extensive neuropsychological battery was performed. MA performed worse than NC and MO on a General Cognitive Index (F = 2.72, p< .05), Full Scale (F = 6.10, p < .001) and Verbal (F = 5.48, p < .01) IQ. Verbal IQ was also lower for MO than for NC (F = 10.69, p < .001). Compared to NC and left-hemisphere migraines (M Left ), right-hemisphere migraines (M Right ) demonstrated reduced attention (F = 3.96, p < .05), poorer constructional abilities (F = 4.38, p < .05), and lower visuo-spatial memory (F = 3.92, p < .05). M Right performed less well on executive functioning tasks (F = 2.65, p = .05). M Left was associated with lower Full Scale IQ (F = 8.34, p < .001) and Verbal IQ (F = 7.89, p < .001). MA (Right Hand: F = 3.90, p < .05; Left Hand: F = 4.10, p < .05) had poorer motor skills than NC. M Right (Left Hand: F = 3.61, p < .05) showed additional motor slowness. Thus, presence of aura and hemisphere lateralization of migraine headache can affect the cognitive and personality profiles of patients with migraine