Migraine associated with head trauma

Migraine associated with head trauma i.e. onset of migraine in close temporal relation to a head trauma was analyzed in a large population based survey of 4000 forty-year-old males and females. Of the 29 people with migraine associated with head trauma, 20 had migraine without aura associated with head trauma, six had migrainous disorder without aura associated with head trauma and three had migraine with aura associated with head trauma. Eleven had a significant head trauma (loss of consciousness or posttraumatic amnesia lasting more than 10 minutes) and 18 had a minor head trauma. The overall lifetime prevalence of migraine associated with head trauma was 1.4% with a male-female ratio of 1:2.4. The symptomatology of migraine associated and unassociated with head trauma was not different. The first degree relatives of probands with migraine associated with head trauma were blindly interviewed by a physician. The first degree relatives of probands with migraine without aura associated with head trauma had a significantly lower risk of migraine without aura than first degree relatives of probands with migraine without aura unassociated with head trauma. We conclude that migraine without aura associated and unassociated with head trauma have a different aetiology. Thus, it is very likely that a head trauma may cause migraine without aura. The mechanisms involved in trauma induced migraine without aura are unknown.