Cortical excitability in migraine and epilepsy: A common feature?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: There is evidence for comorbidity of migraine and epilepsy. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess cortical excitability in migraine compared with control subjects and patients with epilepsy. METHODS: Twenty-six patients drug-naive patients with newly diagnosed migraine were studied. These were compared with 19 healthy control subjects and 50 patients with new onset epilepsy. Motor threshold (MT) and responses to paired pulse stimulation at short (2, 5, 10, and 15 milliseconds) and long (50-400 milliseconds) interstimulus intervals (ISIs) were measured. RESULTS: Compared with control subjects, cortical excitability was higher in migraine only at 250 milliseconds..