Migraine and epilepsy in children

Epilepsy drugs have been used for migraine for a long time.  We know there’s a connection, though we don’t know exactly what it is.  But recently, another more startling link was made by researchers in the USA and Iceland.

The researchers interviewed children who had recently had their first unprovoked seizure, and had been recently diagnosed with epilepsy.  They wanted to find out which of the children had had at least a couple of migraine-like attacks (usually we use 5 or more to actually get a solid diagnosis).  They also interviewed children who did not have seizures.

The result?  It seems that children with migraine are 3.7 times more likely to develop epilepsy.  But only children who get migraine with aura.  Children with migraine but no aura didn’t have a noticeably increased risk.

This study is important for more than one reason.  For one thing, it proves once again that there is a solid link between the two diseases, and perhaps directs us toward new ways to understand that link.

Second, it once again shows that migraine with aura is something unique.  Now, often you’ll hear about studies that specify migraine with aura, simply because that’s the only type of migraine they studied.  So maybe the difference isn’t as big as it may sound at first.  Still, more and more studies are coming out that show a difference between the two types of migraine (for example, read about the study on brain lesions and migraine, second article on the page).  Of course, many people (myself included) experience both.  But better classification of types may lead to more specific treatment, and explain why that miracle drug doesn’t work for you.