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Transient Global Amnesia Triggered by Migraine in a F rench T ertiary‐ C are C enter: An 11‐Year Retrospective Analysis
Author(s) -
Donnet Anne
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/head.12545
Subject(s) - transient global amnesia , migraine , vomiting , medicine , anesthesia , valsalva maneuver , nausea , amnesia , blood pressure , psychiatry
Objective The etiology of transient global amnesia ( TGA ) remains unclear, and flow disturbances in the mesial temporal lobes secondary to venous congestion have been proposed as a potential cause. The occurrence of TGA during a migraine attack is a rare condition. Methods This 11‐year retrospective study in one French center describes patients' characteristics, type of migraine, investigations, treatment with vasoconstrictor during the TGA /migraine attack, and outcome in patients who had TGA during a migraine attack. Results Among 8821 new patients, 6 cases of TGA occurring during a migraine attack were identified. For a majority of patients, TGA occurs after the beginning of the attack. TGA always occurs during a severe migraine attack, with vomiting or vomiting efforts. Vomiting or vomiting efforts always precede a TGA episode. Conclusions TGA occurring during a migraine attack is rare. Since a V alsalva maneuver, such as forceful vomiting, is frequently described at the origin of the attack, blocking venous return through the superior venous cava may allow brief retrograde transmission of high venous pressure from the arms to the cerebral venous system, resulting in venous ischemia to the diencephalon or mesial temporal lobes and causing TGA .