Clinical Features, Familial History, and Migraine Precursors in Patients With Definite Vestibular Migraine: The VM-Phenotypes Projects

Vestibular migraine: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We performed a narrative review of the recent findings in epidemiology, clinical presentation, mechanisms and treatment of vestibular migraine.

RECENT FINDINGS

Vestibular migraine is an underdiagnosed condition that has a high prevalence among general, headache and neuro-otology clinics. Vestibular migraine has a bimodal presentation probably associated with a hormonal component in women. These patients could have a complex clinical phenotype including concomitant autonomic, inflammatory or connective tissue conditions that have a higher prevalence of psychological symptoms, which may mistakenly lead to a diagnosis of a functional neurological disorder. A high proportion of patients with postural perceptual persistent dizziness have a migraine phenotype. Independently of the clinical presentation and past medical history, patients with the vestibular migraine phenotype can respond to regular migraine preventive treatments, including those targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide pathways.

SUMMARY

Vestibular migraine is an underdiagnosed migraine phenotype that shares the pathophysiological mechanisms of migraine, with growing interest in recent years. A thorough anamnesis is essential to increase sensitivity in patients with unknown cause of dizziness and migraine treatment should be considered (see supplemental video-abstract).

Beyond Vertigo: Vestibular, Aural, and Perceptual Symptoms in Vestibular Migraine

PURPOSE

To review the vestibular, aural, and perceptual symptoms of vestibular migraine (VM) that may present alongside vertigo.

RECENT FINDINGS

Increased research attention to the wide spectrum of symptoms presenting in VM patients has improved understanding of this disorder, with recent identification of five different VM phenotypes. Research into the clinical overlap between VM and other chronic vestibular syndromes such as persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and mal-de-debarquement syndrome reveals a range of vestibular symptoms and hints at pathophysiological connections between migraine and vestibular dysfunction. Studies of migraine treatment for hearing loss suggest patients presenting with aural symptoms may have an underlying diagnosis of migraine and deserve a trial of migraine preventives. Research into the neurologic basis of the perceptual disorder Alice in Wonderland syndrome has revealed brain areas that are likely involved and may help explain its prevalence in VM patients. VM is a sensory processing disorder that presents with more than just vertigo. Understanding the range of potential symptoms improves diagnosis and treatment for migraine patients whose diagnosis may be missed when only the symptoms identified in the diagnostic criteria are considered.

Assessing the impact of migraine on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo symptoms and recovery

BACKGROUND

During episodes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), individuals with migraine, compared with individuals without migraine, may experience more severe vestibular symptoms because of their hyperexcitable brain structures, more adverse effects on quality of life, and worse recovery processes from BPPV.

METHODS

All patients with BPPV were assigned to the migraine group (MG, n = 64) and without migraine group (BPPV w/o MG, n = 64) and completed the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS), Vertigo Dizziness Imbalance Symptom Scale (VDI-SS), VDI Health-Related Quality of Life Scale (VDI-HRQoLS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the time of BPPV diagnosis (baseline) and on the one-month follow-up. Headache Impact Test-6 and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale were used for an assessment of headache. Motion sickness was evaluated based on the statement of each patient as present or absent.

RESULTS

Compared with the BPPV w/o MG, the MG had higher VSS scores at baseline [19.5 (10.7) vs. 11.3 (8.5); p < 0.001] and on one-month follow-up [10.9 (9.3) vs. 2.2 (2.7), p < 0.001]; experienced more severe dizziness and imbalance symptoms based on the VDI-SS at baseline (61.9% vs. 77.3%; p < 0.001) and after one month (78.9% vs. 93.7%, p < 0.001); and more significantly impaired quality of life according to the VDI-HRQoLS at baseline (77.4% vs. 91.8%, p < 0.001) and after one month (86.3% vs. 97.6%, p < 0.001). On the one-month follow-up, the subgroups of patients with moderate and severe scores of the BAI were higher in the MG (39.2%, n = 24) than in the BPPV w/o MG (21.8%, n = 14) and the number of patients who had normal scores of the BDI was lower in the MG than in the BPPV w/o MG (67.1% vs. 87.5%, p = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

Clinicians are advised to inquire about migraine when evaluating patients with BPPV because it may lead to more intricate and severe clinical presentation. Further studies will be elaborated the genuine nature of the causal relationship between migraine and BPPV.

Focused Update on Migraine and Vertigo Comorbidity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an update on comorbidity of vestibular symptoms and migraine.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multisensory processing and integration is a key concept for understanding mixed presentation of migraine and vestibular symptoms. Here, we discuss how vestibular migraine should be distinguished from a secondary migraine phenomenon in which migraine symptoms may coincide with or triggered by another vestibular disorder. We also have some updates on the diagnostic criteria of vestibular migraine, its pathophysiology, and common approaches used for its treatment. As a common clinical presentation of migraine and vestibular symptoms, vestibular migraine should be distinguished from a secondary migraine phenomenon, in which migraine symptoms may be triggered by or coincide with another vestibular disorder. Recent experimental evidence suggests vestibular symptoms in vestibular migraine are linked to multisensory mechanisms that control body motion and orientation in space.

Multisensory hallucinations and other unusual sensory experiences in the context of migraine: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND

Visual auras in migraine have been extensively studied, but less is known about multisensory hallucinations or other unusual sensory experiences, including whether these should be diagnostically considered as part of aura symptoms. The current study aimed to conduct a systematic review and synthesis to bring together existing empirical evidence on these non-visual perceptual experiences, focusing on their phenomenological descriptions and clinical correlates.

METHODS

Forty-eight relevant studies were included based on a systematic search across PsycINFO APA and Web of Science, for peer-reviewed publications in the English language, from 1980 to the present. These comprised a mix of case reports/series (n = 19) and group design studies (n = 29).

RESULTS

Reports of complex multisensory hallucinations, beyond typical established aura symptoms, were numerous and varied in nature. Yet there were limited data on how this related to patient distress and functional interference. Other sensory distortions or hypersensitivities across non-visual domains were also evident, and generally more common in those with established aura symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide preliminary evidence that multisensory hallucinations and other unusual perceptual experiences in migraine are likely more common than previously believed. Further investigations are needed to appropriately account for these symptoms within current nosological systems. Increased clinician-patient awareness is important for managing distress (where necessary), and potentially for offering a holistic therapeutic approach to migraine management.

Phenotypes and clinical subgroups in vestibular migraine: a cross-sectional study with cluster analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this multicentric cross-sectional study was to collect phenotypes and clinical variability on a large sample of 244 patients enrolled in different university centers in Italy, trying to differentiate subtypes of VM.

BACKGROUND

VM is one of the most frequent episodic vertigo characterized by a great clinical variability for duration of attacks and accompanying symptoms. Diagnosis is based only on clinical history of episodic vertigo in 50% of cases associated with migrainous headache or photo/phonophobia.

METHODS

We enrolled in different university centers 244 patients affected by definite VM according to the criteria of the Barany Society between January 2022 and December 2022. An audiometric examination and a CNS MRI were performed before inclusion. Patients with low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss were not included, as well as patients with an MRI positive otherwise that for microischemic lesions. Patients were asked to characterize vestibular symptoms choosing among (multiple answers were allowed): internal vertigo, dizziness, visuo-vestibular symptoms/external vertigo; onset of vertigo and duration, neurovegetative, and cochlear accompanying symptoms (hearing loss, tinnitus, and fullness during attacks) were collected as well as migrainous headache and/or photo/phonophobia during vertigo; autoimmune disorders were also analyzed. A bedside examination was performed including study of spontaneous-positional nystagmus with infrared video goggles, post head shaking ny, skull vibration test, and video head impulse test.

RESULTS

We included 244 subjects, 181 were females (74.2%). The age of onset of the first vertigo was 36.6 ± 14.5 while of the first headache was 23.2 ± 10.1. A positive correlation has been found between the first headache and the first vertigo. The mean duration of vertigo attacks was 11 ± 16 h. We carried on a cluster analysis to identify subgroups of patients with common clinical features. Four variables allowed to aggregate clusters: age of onset of vertigo, duration of vertigo attacks, presence of migrainous headache during vertigo, and presence of cochlear symptoms during vertigo. We identified 5 clusters: cluster 1/group 1 (23 subjects, 9.4%) characterized by longer duration of vertigo attacks; cluster 2/group 2 (52 subjects, 21.3%) characterized by absence of migrainous headache and cochlear symptoms during vertigo; cluster 3/group 3 (44 subjects, 18%) characterized by presence of cochlear symptoms during vertigo but not headache; cluster 4/group 4 (57 subjects, 23.4%) by the presence of both cochlear symptoms and migrainous headache during vertigo; cluster 5/group 5 (68 subjects, 27.9%) characterized by migrainous headache but no cochlear symptoms during vertigo.

CONCLUSION

VM is with any evidence a heterogeneous disorder and clinical presentations exhibit a great variability. In VM, both symptoms orienting toward a peripheral mechanism (cochlear symptoms) and central ones (long lasting positional non-paroxysmal vertigo) may coexist. Our study is the first published trying to characterize subgroups of VM subjects, thus orienting toward different pathophysiological mechanisms.

Vestibular Migraine Pathophysiology and Treatment: a Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the diagnosis of vestibular migraine (VM) and update the clinician on the most recent developments in our understanding of its pathophysiology and treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

Functional imaging studies have identified multiple regions of the brain with abnormal activity and connectivity in VM. There is evidence of abnormal sensory processing and integration in VM patients. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has also been found to play a role in trigeminal and vestibular nucleus pathways. Research into treatment modalities has identified several neuromodulation devices that may be effective in VM. There are a growing number of evidence-based preventive options for VM, including medications that target CGRP. VM is best understood as a sensory processing disorder. CGRP appears to play a role, and further research is needed to fully understand its effects. Treatment options are expanding, but there is still a need for more randomly controlled trials in this area.

Effects of nonprescription therapies on vestibular migraine: a questionnaire-based observational study

BACKGROUND

Vestibular migraine (VM) is a common cause of recurrent vertigo. Migraine headache preventative therapies are currently prescribed to control vertigo symptoms in VM. Clinical trials of nutraceuticals for migraine headache prevention have shown positive outcomes, but, to date, there have been no studies to assess their effectiveness in the management of VM.

AIMS

To report the effects of nonprescription therapy management on VM symptoms.

METHODS

We undertook a prospective, questionnaire-based assessment of patients diagnosed with VM between November 2019 and August 2021 at two Sydney tertiary referral clinics. Patients were advised on optimising sleep, hydration, exercise and nutrition and instructed to use an over-the-counter combination product containing riboflavin 200 mg, magnesium 150 mg, coenzyme Q10 75 mg and feverfew 200 mcg. Symptom severity and frequency were assessed using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Vertigo Symptom Score short-form (VSS-sf) and two visual analogue scales for severity (VAS-s) and frequency (VAS-f) before and 3 months after commencing treatment.

RESULT

In 82 participants (78% female; mean age, 44 ± 14 years) we recorded a decrease in DHI (mean, 16.8 [95% confidence interval (CI), 12.8-20.9], VSS-sf (9.3, 7.1-11.5), VAS-s (3.0, 2.2-3.8) and VAS-f (2.8, 2.1-3.4), equating to an improvement of 44.1%, 44.9%, 44.1% and 38.9% for each measure respectively. On the DHI and VSS-sf, 41 (50%) and 44 (53.7%) patients showed improvement in their symptoms; 39 (47.6%) and 36 (43.9%) patients noted no change and two patients reported worsening. The supplement was well-tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide preliminary evidence that VM symptom frequency and severity can be reduced by using nonprescription therapies.

Characterization of Vestibular Perception in Patients with Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness

OBJECTIVE

To assess vestibular (i.e., passive self-motion) perception in patients diagnosed with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD).

STUDY DESIGN

Case-controlled, cross-sectional, observational investigation.

SETTING

Single-center laboratory-based study.

PATIENTS

Thirteen patients with PPPD, 13 age-matched healthy control volunteers. Of those with PPPD, eight had co-occurring vestibular migraine (VM).

INTERVENTIONS

All participants completed a vestibular threshold test battery reflecting perception with predominant inputs from ( a ) the otoliths (1-Hz interaural y -axis translation, 1-Hz superior-inferior z -axis translation), ( b ) the semicircular canals (2-Hz yaw rotation, 2-Hz tilts in the planes of the vertical canal pairs), and ( c ) and canal-otolith integration (0.5-Hz roll tilt).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Direction-recognition thresholds for each vestibular threshold test condition.

RESULTS

Across all patients with PPPD, higher thresholds for superior-inferior z -translations thresholds in comparison to age-matched healthy control participants were identified ( p < 0.001). Those patients with co-occurring VM and PPPD (PPPD/+VM) displayed significantly higher z -translation thresholds ( p = 0.006), whereas patients with PPPD without VM (PPPD/-VM) displayed significantly higher roll tilt thresholds ( p = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PPPD did not display a global worsening of passive self-motion perception as quantified by vestibular perceptual thresholds. Instead, patients with PPPD displayed elevated thresholds for only roll tilt and z -translation thresholds, with the relative change in each threshold impacted by the co-occurrence of VM. Because both z -translation and roll tilt motions are reliant on accurate gravity perception, our data suggest that patients with PPPD may exhibit impaired processing of graviceptive cues.

Vestibular Migraine Therapy: Update and Recent Literature Review

Vestibular migraine (VM) is a neurological condition that causes vertigo and headache. It is considered the most common cause of episodic vertigo. However, specific treatments are missing, and medications currently used in VM are borrowed from migraine therapy. A comprehensive practical review of the literature assessing the evidence for abortive and preventive interventions in adults with VM was published in 2022, providing practical recommendations about VM treatment. The aim of our paper is to provide an updated overview of the current state of the art of VM treatment, illustrating new evidence available in this field. Along with traditional pharmacological preventive therapies, medications targeting the CGRP pathways have recently been investigated in terms of treatment effect in VM patients, with encouraging results. Also, there is new evidence of the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions. However, the overall evidence base for VM treatment remains sparse.

Comparison of clinical characteristics and vestibular function test results in patients with vestibular migraine and Menière's disease

OBJECTIVES

The differentiation between Vestibular Migraine (VM) and Meniere's Disease (MD) is difficult because of overlapping symptoms. The study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and vestibular function test results between VM and MD patients.

METHODS

Seventy-one patients with definite VM and 31 patients with definite unilateral MD were included. All patients received Caloric Test (CT), Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) test within 7 days after visiting the hospital. Results of these tests were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Most VM patients (64.0%) experienced spontaneous internal vertigo, while most MD patients (66.7%) experienced spontaneous external vertigo. MD patients had more severe vestibular symptoms and autonomic responses compared to VM patients during attacks (p =  0.03, p = 0.00, respectively). The nystagmus intensity of CT-induced was greater in VM patients than in MD patients (p = 0.003). More VM patients had CT intolerance and Central Positional Nystagmus (CPN) compared to MD patients (p = 0.002, p = 0.006, respectively). More MD patients had CT(+) and vHIT saccades wave compared to VM patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, respectively). The non-elicitation rate of cervical VEMP was higher, and the ocular VEMP amplitudes were lower in MD patients than in VM patients (p = 0.002, p = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Vestibular symptoms during attacks combined with the results of vestibular function tests may be used to differentiate between VM and MD. The diverse nature of vestibular symptoms (especially internal vertigo), history of motion sickness and CT intolerance may provide clues to the diagnosis of VM, whereas spontaneous external vertigo, CT(+) with vHIT(-), and the presence of saccades may provide clues to the diagnosis of MD.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Phenotypes, bedside examination, and video head impulse test in vestibular migraine of childhood compared with probable vestibular migraine and recurrent vertigo in childhood

Introduction

Vestibular impairment and vertigo in the pediatric population have an estimated prevalence ranging between 0.4% and 5.6% and are a topic of interest in recent years. The Bárány Society has recently reclassified migraine-related vertigo syndromes as vestibular migraine of childhood (VMC), probable vestibular migraine of childhood (probable VMC), and recurrent vertigo of childhood (RVC).

Methods

Applying the criteria established by the Bárány Society, we retrospectively analyzed data on 95 pediatric patients suffering from episodic vertigo that were recruited from 2018 to 2022. In applying the revised criteria, 28 patients had VMC, 38 had probable VMC, and 29 had RVC.

Results

Visuo-vestibular symptoms (external vertigo) or internal vertigo were reported by 20 of 28 VMC patients (71.4%) compared to 8 of 38 probable VMC patients (21%) (P < .001). None of the RVC patients reported external vertigo. Duration of vertigo was demonstrably longer in the VMC patients than in the probable VMC (P < .001) and RVC (P < .001) patients. Cochlear symptoms were reported by 28.6% of VMC patients and by 13.1% of probable VMC patients. No cochlear symptoms were reported by any RVC patients. Familial cases for headache and episodic vertigo showed no significant difference between groups.

Discussion

The most frequent finding during bedside examination in all three groups was central positional nystagmus. Differences in the duration of attacks and in accompanying symptoms may underline different pathophysiological mechanisms.

Similarities and Differences between Vestibular Migraine and Recurrent Vestibular Symptoms-Not Otherwise Specified (RVS-NOS)

Menière's disease and vestibular migraine (VM) are two common inner ear disorders whose diagnoses are based on clinical history and audiometric exams. In some cases, patients have been reporting different episodes of vertigo for years but not fulfilling the Bárány Society criteria for either. These are called Recurrent Vestibular Symptoms-Not Otherwise Specified (RVS-NOS). It is still under debate if this is a single disease entity or a part of the spectrum of already established disorders. The purpose of our work was to establish similarities and differences with VM in terms of clinical history, bedside examination, and family history. We enrolled 28 patients with RVS-NOS who were followed for at least 3 years with stable diagnosis; results were compared with those of 34 subjects having a diagnosis of definite VM. The age of onset of vertigo was lower in VM than in RVS-NOS (31.2 vs. 38.4 years). As for the duration of attacks and symptoms, we detected no differences other than subjects with RVS-NOS reporting milder attacks. Cochlear accompanying symptoms were more frequently reported by VM subjects (one subject reporting tinnitus and another one reported tinnitus and fullness). Motion sickness was equally reported by subjects across two samples (around 50% for both). Bipositional long-lasting, non-paroxysmal nystagmus was the most common finding in the two groups, with no significant difference. Finally, the percentage of familial cases of migrainous headache and episodic vertigo did not differ between the two samples. In conclusion, RVS-NOS shares some common aspects with VM, including the temporal profile of attacks, motion sickness (commonly considered a migraine precursor), bedside examination, and family history. Our results are not inconsistent with the possibility that RVS-NOS may be a heterogeneous disorder, even if some of these subjects may share common pathophysiological mechanisms with VM.

Guidelines for reasonable and appropriate care in the emergency department 3 (GRACE-3): Acute dizziness and vertigo in the emergency department

This third Guideline for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE-3) from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine is on the topic adult patients with acute dizziness and vertigo in the emergency department (ED). A multidisciplinary guideline panel applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendations regarding five questions for adult ED patients with acute dizziness of less than 2 weeks' duration. The intended population is adults presenting to the ED with acute dizziness or vertigo. The panel derived 15 evidence-based recommendations based on the timing and triggers of the dizziness but recognizes that alternative diagnostic approaches exist, such as the STANDING protocol and nystagmus examination in combination with gait unsteadiness or the presence of vascular risk factors. As an overarching recommendation, (1) emergency clinicians should receive training in bedside physical examination techniques for patients with the acute vestibular syndrome (AVS; HINTS) and the diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV; Dix-Hallpike test and Epley maneuver). To help distinguish central from peripheral causes in patients with the AVS, we recommend: (2) use HINTS (for clinicians trained in its use) in patients with nystagmus, (3) use finger rub to further aid in excluding stroke in patients with nystagmus, (4) use severity of gait unsteadiness in patients without nystagmus, (5) do not use brain computed tomography (CT), (6) do not use routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a first-line test if a clinician trained in HINTS is available, and (7) use MRI as a confirmatory test in patients with central or equivocal HINTS examinations. In patients with the spontaneous episodic vestibular syndrome: (8) search for symptoms or signs of cerebral ischemia, (9) do not use CT, and (10) use CT angiography or MRI angiography if there is concern for transient ischemic attack. In patients with the triggered (positional) episodic vestibular syndrome, (11) use the Dix-Hallpike test to diagnose posterior canal BPPV (pc-BPPV), (12) do not use CT, and (13) do not use MRI routinely, unless atypical clinical features are present. In patients diagnosed with vestibular neuritis, (14) consider short-term steroids as a treatment option. In patients diagnosed with pc-BPPV, (15) treat with the Epley maneuver. It is clear that as of 2023, when applied in routine practice by emergency clinicians without special training, HINTS testing is inaccurate, partly due to use in the wrong patients and partly due to issues with its interpretation. Most emergency physicians have not received training in use of HINTS. As such, it is not standard of care, either in the legal sense of that term ("what the average physician would do in similar circumstances") or in the common parlance sense ("the standard action typically used by physicians in routine practice").

Vestibular migraine or Meniere's disease: a diagnostic dilemma

Meniere's disease (MD) represents one of the vertigo disorders characterized by triad symptoms (recurrent vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus or ear fullness). The diagnosis of MD relies on the accurate and detailed taking of medical history, and the differentiation between MD and vestibular migraine (VM) is of critical importance from the perspective of the treatment efficacy. VM is a highly prevalent vertigo condition and its typical symptoms (headache, vestibular symptoms, cochlear symptoms) mimic those of MD. Furthermore, the misdiagnosis in MD and VM could lead to VM patients mistakenly receiving the traumatic treatment protocol designed for MD, and sustaining unnecessary damage to the inner ear. Fortunately, thanks to the advances in examination technologies, the barriers to their differentiation are being gradually removed. These advances enhance the diagnostic accuracy of vertigo diseases, especially VM and MD. This review focused on the differentiation of VM and MD, with an attempt to synthesize existing data on the relevant battery of differentiation diagnosis (covering core symptoms, auxiliary tests [audiometry, vestibular tests, endolymphatic hydrops tests]) and longitudinal follow-up. Since the two illnesses are overlapped in all aspects, no single test is sufficiently specific on its own, however, patterns containing all or at least some features boost specificity.

Altered brain function in patients with vestibular migraine: a study on resting state functional connectivity

PURPOSE

To characterize the altered brain function in patients with vestibular migraine (VM) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

METHODS

In this prospective study, fMRI images as well as clinical characteristics and behavioral scales were collected from 40 VM patients and 40 healthy controls (HC). All patients received neurological, neuro-otological, and conventional MRI examinations to exclude peripheral vestibular lesions, focal lesions, and other neurological diseases. Seed-based (bilateral parietal operculum cortex 2, OP2) functional connectivity (FC) and independent component analysis (ICA)-based functional network connectivity (FNC) were performed to investigate the brain functional changes in patients with VM. Additionally, the correlations between the altered FC/FNC and behavioral results were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with HC, patients with VM showed increased FC between the left OP2 and right precuneus and exhibited decreased FC between the left OP2 and left anterior cingulate cortex. We also observed increased FC between the right OP2 and regions of the right middle frontal gyrus and bilateral precuneus, as well as decreased FC between the bilateral OP2. Furthermore, patients with VM showed decreased FNC between visual network (VN) and networks of auditory and default mode, and exhibited increased FNC between VN and executive control network. A correlation analysis found that FC between the left OP2 and right precuneus was positively correlated with scores of dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) in patients with VM.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated altered brain function in patients with VM.

Early detection and monitoring of hearing loss in vestibular migraine: Extended high-frequency hearing

Background

Vestibular migraine (VM) presents mainly with recurrent vestibular symptoms and migraine. A great number of patients with VM have cochlea symptoms such as tinnitus, hearing loss.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with definite VM (dVM) and probable VM (pVM) who met the diagnostic criteria. Auditory-vestibular tests and psychological assessments were performed. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive effect of EHF pure tone audiometry (PTA) for standard frequency (SF) hearing loss.

Results

Fifteen patients with pVM and 22 patients with dVM were recruited. Overall, the two most vertigo types were vestibulo-visual symptoms (83.78%) and internal vertigo (54.05%). A vertigo attack persisted for <5 min in approximately 57% of patients, compared with 5 min to 72 h in 43%, and lasted longer than 72 h in 8%. Approximately 87% of patients had psychological disorders. Most patients with VM (92%) suffered from some degree of EHF hearing impairment, and 68% had SF hearing loss, which is substantially higher than their complaints (43%). Moreover, the mean EHF hearing threshold cutoff value (57 dB HL) worked well in predicting SF hearing loss (area under curve, AUC, 0.827), outperforming distortion product optoacoustic emission (AUC, 0.748).

Conclusion

VM has a wide range of clinical manifestations. Hearing loss had a considerably higher rate compared to actual complaints. Moreover, patients with VM tended to have bilateral EHF and high-frequency hearing loss. The effectiveness of the mean EHF hearing threshold cutoff value in predicting hearing loss supported its use in the early detection of hearing loss and monitoring disease progression.

Benign paroxysmal torticollis

Benign paroxysmal torticollis is a rare, usually benign, condition classified as an episodic syndrome. It is characterized by episodes of paroxysmal head tilt and associated symptoms, some of which are shared with migraine. It is likely to be the migraine equivalent with the earliest age of onset, starting in some cases in the neonatal period but resolving typically by the age of three or four. It may evolve into other episodic syndromes, migraine, or hemiplegic migraine, and an antecedent history or family history should be sought from migraineurs. Its prevalence and under-recognition has made it difficult to study. There are emerging associations with genes implicated in other paroxysmal syndromes, including hemiplegic migraine and episodic ataxia. Treatment currently centers on supportive care and environmental modification.

Vestibular Function and Clinical Presentation of Dizziness: Are They Similar in Patients With Different Types of Migraine?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the vestibular function and clinical aspects (vestibular and migraine symptoms) of patients divided into three groups-migraine without aura, migraine with aura, and chronic migraine-and a control group by using electronystagmography and a design questionnaire.

STUDY DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Women aged between 18 and 55 years diagnosed with migraine with aura, migraine without aura, or chronic migraine according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders ICHD-third edition; diagnosis was made by a headache specialist. The control group consisted of patients' family members and hospital employees without a personal history of headache.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Application of a questionnaire regarding vestibular symptoms and their relation to migraine aspects. Assessment of the vestibular function by electronystagmography.

RESULTS

This study evaluated 120 female patients. Dizziness was the most prevalent vestibular symptom in all the migraine groups, with higher prevalence in the episodic migraine with aura and chronic migraine groups. Phonophobia and photophobia during vestibular symptoms also had greater prevalence in the latter groups. Electronystagmography tests did not reveal differences among the groups, but clinical stratification showed that tests with mixed etiology abnormalities were more prevalent in the episodic migraine with aura and chronic migraine groups.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of vestibular symptoms in the migraine groups and the etiology of vestibular impairment highlight that migraine affects the vestibular system. Our findings suggest that symptom progression and vestibular impact are related to migraine chronicity and presence of aura.

Vestibular Migraine

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To explore recent developments in vestibular migraine (VM).

RECENT FINDINGS

This review discusses the current diagnostic criteria for VM in the adult and pediatric populations, as proposed by the International Headache Society and Bárány Society. Recent VM studies confirm the prior findings and reveal new insights, including the wide range of vestibular symptoms, symptoms in the attack-free period, and triggers. Many patients experience persistent vestibular symptoms, even in the absence of acute attacks, which often significantly impact patients' quality of life. The syndrome of benign recurrent vertigo and its relationship to migraine, VM, and Meniere's disease is also discussed. There is a dearth of randomized controlled trials in VM treatment. Prospective and retrospective studies support the benefit of many migraine treatments are effective in VM, including neuromodulation, and calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies. VM affects almost 3% of the population, but remains under-diagnosed. Recent diagnostic criteria can help clinicians diagnose VM in adults and children.

Study of clinical correlation of motion sickness in patients with vestibular migraine

Objective

In this study, clinical data from vestibular migraine (VM) patients and healthy control populations were collected to analyze the clinical data of VM patients, especially the history of motion sickness, and to understand their clinical characteristics.

Methods

According to VM diagnostic criteria, 140 patients diagnosed with confirmed VM (cVM) and probable VM (pVM) who attended the outpatient and inpatient ward of Jiaxing First Hospital between August 2017 and June 2021, as well as 287 healthy check-ups in the health management center, were analyzed and compared in terms of age, gender, and previous history of motion sickness.

Results

A comparison of clinical data related to VM patients and the control population showed that there were more women in the VM group (P < 0.01) and that patients in the VM group were older (P < 0.05) and had a higher prevalence of history of motion sickness history (P < 0.01). Analysis after matching gender and age revealed that patients in the cVM group were older than those in the pVM group (P < 0.05), but the proportion of motion sickness was lower than in the pVM group (P < 0.05). The age of the patients in the cVM group was mainly distributed around 50 years of age, following a normal distribution, whereas the age distribution of the patients in the pVM group did not have a significant trend of age concentration and was distributed at all ages.

Conclusion

The history of motion sickness is significant in patients with VM and may be a potential suggestive factor for the diagnosis of VM.

Pathophysiology and Therapy of Associated Features of Migraine

Migraine is a complex and debilitating disorder that is broadly recognised by its characteristic headache. However, given the wide array of clinical presentations in migraineurs, the headache might not represent the main troublesome symptom and it can even go unnoticed. Understanding migraines exclusively as a pain process is simplistic and certainly hinders management. We describe the mechanisms behind some of the most disabling associated symptoms of migraine, including the relationship between the central and peripheral processes that take part in nausea, osmophobia, phonophobia, vertigo and allodynia. The rationale for the efficacy of the current therapeutic arsenal is also depicted in this article. The associated symptoms to migraine, apart from the painful component, are frequent, under-recognised and can be more deleterious than the headache itself. The clinical anamnesis of a headache patient should enquire about the associated symptoms, and treatment should be considered and individualised. Acknowledging the associated symptoms as a fundamental part of migraine has permitted a deeper and more coherent comprehension of the pathophysiology of migraine.

Auditory Manifestations of Vestibular Migraine

Objectives

To investigate the auditory features of patients with vestibular migraine (VM) and to analyze the possible relevant factors of hearing loss.

Methods

A total of 166 patients with VM were enrolled. Demographic variables, age of onset, disease course, distribution of vestibular attacks, characteristics of hearing loss, and the coexistence of related disorders, such as visual aura, familial history, motion sickness, nausea, headache, photophobia, otalgia, tinnitus, aural fullness, and phonophobia, were analyzed and compared.

Results

Patients with VM can manifest otalgia (8.4%), tinnitus (51.8%), aural fullness (41%), and phonophobia (31.9%). Of 166 patients, the prevalence of VMw was 21.1% (n = 35). Patients with VMw mainly manifested mild and easily reversible low-frequency hearing loss. The proportions of tinnitus and aural fullness were significantly larger in patients with VMw than that in patients with VMo (P < 0.05). The duration of vestibular symptoms was significantly shorter in patients with VMw (P < 0.05). However, the age of onset, disease course, gender, frequency of vestibular attacks, the coexistence of visual aura, familial history, motion sickness, nausea, headache, photophobia, otalgia, and phonophobia had no significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion

Auditory symptoms were common in patients with VM. The hearing loss of VM was characterized by a mild and easily reversible low-frequency hearing loss, accompanied by higher proportions of tinnitus and aural fullness, and a shorter duration of vestibular symptoms compared with patients with VMo.

Pediatric vestibular migraine: Diagnosis according to ICHD-3 criteria and the effectiveness of short-term CH prophylaxis

OBJECTIVE

Vestibular migraine (VM) is a rare migraine variant with limited information about its treatment in children. This study, it was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic characteristics of VM in children and the effectiveness of cyproheptadine hydrochloride (CH) prophylaxis.

METHODS

Patients aged 6-18 years who were diagnosed with VM and other primary headaches (OPHs) according to ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria and given oral CH prophylaxis for at least 3 months were included in the study. Response to CH prophylaxis was defined by the change in symptoms (worsening, no change, and improvement) monthly.

RESULTS

A total of 64 cases diagnosed with primary headache and given CH prophylaxis were identified. 40.6% (29) migraine without aura of patients, 34.4% (22) VM, 14.1% (9) tension type headache, 4.7% (3) benign paroxysmal vertigo, 3.1% (2) migraine with aura and 3.1% (2) were diagnosed with abdominal migraine. Compared to OPHs, it was found that the duration of headache attack was shorter (p .013) and vomiting, which is one of the associated symptoms, was observed less in pediatric VM (p .032). The positive response of the whole study population to CH prophylaxis was 85.9%. However, CH prophylaxis responses were higher in VM compared to OPHs at the end of 1 month (63.6%) and 2 months (86.3%).

CONCLUSION

In the pediatric population, the migrainous characters of VM may show differences, but its response to short-term CH prophylaxis is quite good.

Vestibular migraine

Vestibular migraine (VM) remains an underdiagnosed condition, often mistaken with brainstem aura. VM is defined by recurrent vestibular symptoms in at least 50% of migraine attacks. Diagnosis is established by clinical criteria based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). Estimated prevalence of VM is 1 to 2.7% of the adult population. Vestibular symptoms usually appear after the headache. VM pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Vertigo may occur before, during, after the migraine attack, or even independently, and may last seconds to hours or days. Pathophysiological mechanisms for VM are still poorly understood and are usually extrapolated from migraines. Differential diagnoses include Ménière's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, brainstem aura, transient ischemic attack, persistent perceptual postural vertigo, and episodic type 2 ataxia. Specific treatment recommendations for vestibular migraine are still scarce.

Exploring Vestibular Assessment in Patients with Headache and Dizziness

Patients often report symptoms of headache and dizziness concomitantly. Symptoms of dizziness can be explored with a comprehensive vestibular assessment, allowing for the investigation of central and peripheral vestibular system contributions to symptoms of dizziness. Patients who report both symptoms of headache and dizziness demonstrate abnormalities of the vestibular system which can be measured quantitatively. Completion of comprehensive vestibular testing can help to guide diagnosis and strategies for intervention.

Vestibular migraine of childhood

Background: Vestibular migraine and benign paroxysmal vertigo are the most common causes of vertigo in children and adolescents. This is a review of vestibular migraine of childhood dizziness.Current Concepts: In children and adolescents, the symptoms of dizziness or vertigo are not well defined. Thus, few studies have investigated the characteristics of dizziness or vertigo in children and adolescents. Vestibular migraine is categorized as episodic syndromes associated with migraine in the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Despite vertigo’s various clinical features and duration, vestibular migraine can be diagnosed only when a migraine accompanies vertigo from 5 minutes to 72 hours. Benign paroxysmal vertigo is more common in children and adolescents than vestibular migraine. Benign paroxysmal vertigo is considered one of the precursor syndrome of migraine, and the duration of vertigo is short from seconds to minutes.Discussion and Conclusion: Vestibular migraine is common in older children and adults who need a differential diagnosis. This review might be helpful to diagnose, evaluate, and treat children with vestibular migraine and to reassure their parents.

Outcomes of Endolymphatic Sac Surgery for Meniere's Disease with and without Comorbid Migraine

Purpose

To explore outcomes of endolymphatic sac surgery for patients with Meniere's disease with and without the comorbid condition of migraine.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective chart review of adult patients undergoing endolymphatic sac surgery at a single tertiary care center from 1987 to 2019 was performed. All adult patients who failed medical therapy and underwent primary endolymphatic sac surgery were included. The main outcome measures were vertigo control and functional level scale (FLS) score. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and audiometric outcomes were tracked as well.

Results

Patients with Meniere's disease and migraine had a stronger association with psychiatric comorbidities (64.29% vs. 25.80%, p=0.01), shorter duration of vertigo episodes (143 vs. 393 min, p=0.02), and younger age (36.6 vs. 50.8 yr, p=0.005) at the time of endolymphatic sac surgery. Postoperative pure tone averages and word recognition scores were nearly identical to preoperative baselines. Class A vertigo control (47.92%) was most common, followed by class B vertigo control (31.25%). The FLS score improved from 4.2 to 2.8 (p < 0.001). Both patients with and without migraine had classes A-B vertigo control (66.67% vs. 80.95%) without any statistically significant difference (p=0.59). Of the patients who required secondary treatment (10.42%), none had migraine.

Conclusions

Endolymphatic sac surgery is an effective surgical intervention for Meniere's disease with and without migraine. Patients with comorbid migraine tend to be younger and present with psychiatric comorbidities.

Vestibular migraine: Diagnostic criteria1

This paper presents diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine, jointly formulated by the Committee for Classification of Vestibular Disorders of the Bárány Society and the Migraine Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society (IHS). It contains a literature update while the original criteria from 2012 were left unchanged. The classification defines vestibular migraine and probable vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraine was included in the appendix of the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3, 2013 and 2018) as a first step for new entities, in accordance with the usual IHS procedures. Probable vestibular migraine may be included in a later version of the ICHD, when further evidence has accumulated. The diagnosis of vestibular migraine is based on recurrent vestibular symptoms, a history of migraine, a temporal association between vestibular symptoms and migraine symptoms and exclusion of other causes of vestibular symptoms. Symptoms that qualify for a diagnosis of vestibular migraine include various types of vertigo as well as head motion-induced dizziness with nausea. Symptoms must be of moderate or severe intensity. Duration of acute episodes is limited to a window of between 5 minutes and 72 hours.

Skull Vibration-Induced Nystagmus Test (SVINT) in Vestibular Migraine and Menière's Disease

BACKGROUND

Vestibular migraine (VM) and Menière's disease (MD) are the two most frequent episodic vertigo apart from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) differential diagnosis for them may be troublesome in the early stages. SVINT is a newly proposed vestibular test, which demonstrated to be fast and reliable in diagnoses above all of peripheral vestibular deficits.

METHODS

We retrieved clinical data from two groups of subjects (200 VM and 605 MD), enrolled between 2010 and 2020. Among others, these subjects were included when performing a SVINT. The purpose of the study is to assess if SVINT can be useful to differentiate the two episodic disorders.

RESULTS

59.2% of MD subjects presented as positive with SVINT while only 6% did so with VM; among other tests, only video HIT demonstrated a different frequency in the two groups (13.1% and 0.5%, respectively), but the low sensitivity in these subjects makes the test unaffordable for diagnostic purposes.

CONCLUSIONS

Since SVINT demonstrated to be positive in a peripheral vestibular deficit in previous works, we think that our data are consistent with the hypothesis that, in the pathophysiology of VM attacks, the central vestibular pathways are mainly involved.

A Family with a High Incidence of Migraine and Vestibular Migraine and a Case of Menière's Disease

Vestibular migraine (VM) and Menière's disease (MD) are common neurotological disorders causing episodic vertigo. Sometimes, VM is accompanied by cochlear symptoms suggestive for MD. Therefore, in those cases, the differential diagnosis between the two disorders can be difficult. Moreover, a comorbidity with migraine in MD patients is widely reported, up to the hypothesis of a possible MD-VM overlapping syndrome. In this brief case report, we consider the clinical history of a family presenting high incidence of subjects fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of VM and single case fulfilling criteria for definite MD. The relationship between VM and MD is still under debate; anyway, it can be speculated that commonly shared genetic mutations could play a role as predisposing factors in both disorders. A congenital nystagmus in the family was present too, but its correlation with the other conditions is still not clear. Future goal of our work will be to assess genetics in this family.

Clinical and Cytokine Profile in Patients with Early and Late Onset Meniere Disease

BACKGROUND

Meniere disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder associated with comorbidities such as autoimmune diseases or migraine. This study describes clinical and cytokine profiles in MD according to the age of onset of the condition.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study including 83 MD patients: 44 with early-onset MD (EOMD, <35 years old), and 39 with late-onset MD (LOMD, >50 years old), 64 patients with migraine and 55 controls was carried out. Clinical variables and cytokines levels of CCL3, CCL4, CCL18, CCL22, CXCL,1 and IL-1β were compared among the different groups.

RESULTS

CCL18 levels were higher in patients with migraine or MD than in controls. Elevated levels of IL-1β were observed in 11.4% EOMD and in 10.3% LOMD patients and these levels were not dependent on the age of individuals. EOMD had a longer duration of the disease (p = 0.004) and a higher prevalence of migraine than LOMD (p = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with EOMD have a higher prevalence of migraine than LOMD, but migraine is not associated with any cytokine profile in patients with MD. The levels of CCL18, CCL3, and CXCL4 were different between patients with MD or migraine and controls.

The Role of the Functional Head Impulse Test with and without Optokinetic Stimuli in Vestibular Migraine and Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy: Discovering a Dynamic Visual Dependence

(1) Background: Visually induced vertigo (i.e., vertigo provoked by moving visual scenes) can be considered a noticeable feature of vestibular migraines (VM) and can be present in patients suffering from acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUV). Hypersensitivity to moving or conflicting visual stimulation is named visual dependence. (2) Methods: Visuo-vestibular interactions were analyzed via the functional Head Impulse Test (fHIT) with and without optokinetic stimulation (o-fHIT) in 25 patients with VM, in 20 subjects affected by AUV, and in 20 healthy subjects. We calculated the percentage of correct answers (%CA) without and with the addition of the optokinetic background (OB). (3) In VM groups, the %CA on the fHIT was 92.07% without OB and 73.66% with OB. A significant difference was found between %CA on the deficit side and that on the normal side in AUV, both without OB and with OB. (4) Conclusions: The fHIT results in terms of %CA with and without OB could be useful to identify the presence of a dynamic visual dependence, especially in patients suffering from VM. The difference in %CA with and without OB could provide instrumental support to help correctly identify subjects suffering from VM. We propose the use of the fHIT in clinical practice whenever there is a need to highlight a condition of dynamic visual dependence.

Evaluation of a large cohort of adult patients with Ménière's disease: bedside and clinical history

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess vestibular findings and clinical history in a large cohort of patients affected by Ménière’s disease.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 511 adult patients fulfilling criteria for definite unilateral Ménière’s disease according to Barany Society. Thorough clinical history, audiometric exam, central nervous system MRI, quantification of serum autoantibodies and complete vestibular function test were performed.

Results

Mean age at clinical record was 55.4 years, while age at onset of the first vertigo attack was 47.4 ± 14.3 years. Ménière’s disease overlapped with migraine in 43.4% of patients. In 31.7% of cases, positivity was found for at least one autoantibody. Forty-nine patients (9.6%) had family history for Ménière’s disease. Bedside examination resulted in 14.7% positivity for video head impulse test, 58.9% for skull vibration-induced nystagmus, 38.7% for the positional test and 23.1% for the post head shaking test. Complete negative examination was reported in 115 cases.

Conclusions

Ménière’s disease was seen to present a characteristic phenotypic pattern in our cohort, confirming the crucial role of thorough anamnesis and bedside examination in diagnosis.

Vestibular Migraine and Its Comorbidities

Vestibular migraine (VM) is one of the most common neurologic causes of vertigo. Symptoms and International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria are used to diagnose VM because no objective tests, imaging or audiologic, have been shown to reliably diagnose this condition. Central auditory, peripheral, and central vestibular pathway involvement has been associated with VM. Although the interaction between migraine and other vestibular disorders can be a challenging scenario for diagnosis and treatment, there are data to show that vestibular rehabilitation and a variety of pharmacologic agents improve reported symptoms and vertigo frequency.

Recurrent Vestibular Symptoms Not Otherwise Specified: Clinical Characteristics Compared With Vestibular Migraine and Menière's Disease

Despite the huge progress in the definition and classification of vestibular disorders within the last decade, there are still patients whose recurrent vestibular symptoms cannot be attributed to any of the recognized episodic vestibular syndromes, such as Menière's disease (MD), vestibular migraine (VM), benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular paroxysmia, orthostatic vertigo or transient ischemic attack (TIA). The aim of the present international, multi-center, cross-sectional study was to systematically characterize the clinical picture of recurrent vestibular symptoms not otherwise specified (RVS-NOS) and to compare it to MD and VM. Thirty-five patients with RVS-NOS, 150 patients with VM or probable VM and 119 patients with MD were included in the study. The symptoms of RVS-NOS had been present for 5.4 years on average before inclusion, similar to VM and MD in this study, suggesting that RVS-NOS is not a transitory state before converting into another diagnosis. Overall, the profile of RVS-NOS vestibular symptoms was more similar to VM than MD. In particular, the spectrum of vestibular symptom types was larger in VM and RVS-NOS than in MD, both at group comparison and the individual level. However, in contrast to VM, no female preponderance was observed for RVS-NOS. Positional, head-motion and orthostatic vertigo were reported more frequently by patients with RVS-NOS than MD, while external vertigo was more prevalent in the MD group. At group level, the spectrum of attack durations from minutes to 3 days was evenly distributed for VM, while a small peak for short and long attacks in RVS-NOS and a big single peak of hours in MD were discernible. In general, vertigo attacks and associated vegetative symptoms (nausea and vomiting) were milder in RVS-NOS than in the other two disorders. Some patients with RVS-NOS described accompanying auditory symptoms (tinnitus: 2.9%, aural fullness and hearing loss: 5.7% each), migrainous symptoms (photophobia, phonophobia or visual aura in 5.7% each) or non-migrainous headaches (14%), but did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria for MD or VM. Absence of a life time diagnosis of migraine headache and attack duration of <5 min were further reasons not to qualify for VM. In some RVS-NOS patients with accompanying ear symptoms, attack durations of <20 min excluded them from being diagnosed with MD. These findings suggest that RVS-NOS is a stable diagnosis over time whose overall clinical presentation is more similar to VM than to MD. It is more likely to be composed of several disorders including a spectrum of mild or incomplete variants of known vestibular disorders, such as VM and MD, rather than a single disease entity with distinct pathognomonic features.

Clinical, oculographic, and vestibular test characteristics of vestibular migraine

BACKGROUND

We characterise the history, vestibular tests, ictal and interictal nystagmus in vestibular migraine.

METHOD

We present our observations on 101 adult-patients presenting to an outpatient facility with recurrent spontaneous and/or positional vertigo whose final diagnosis was vestibular migraine (n = 27) or probable vestibular migraine (n = 74). Ictal and interictal video-oculography, caloric and video head impulse tests, vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials and audiometry were performed.

RESULTS

Common presenting symptoms were headache (81.2%), spinning vertigo (72.3%), Mal de Débarquement (58.4%), and motion sensitivity (30.7%). With fixation denied, ictal and interictal spontaneous nystagmus was observed in 71.3 and 14.9%, and purely positional nystagmus in 25.8 and 55.4%. Spontaneous ictal nystagmus was horizontal in 49.5%, and vertical in 21.8%. Ictal spontaneous and positional nystagmus velocities were 5.3 ± 9.0°/s (range 0.0-57.4), and 10.4 ± 5.8°/s (0.0-99.9). Interictal spontaneous and positional nystagmus velocities were <3°/s in 91.8 and 23.3%. Nystagmus velocities were significantly higher when ictal (p < 0.001/confidence interval: 2.908‒6.733, p < 0.001/confidence interval: 5.308‒10.085). Normal lateral video head impulse test gains were found in 97.8% (mean gain 0.95 ± 0.12) and symmetric caloric results in 84.2% (mean canal paresis 7.0 ± 23.3%). Air- and bone-conducted cervical-vestibular-evoked myogenic potential amplitudes were symmetric in 88.4 and 93.4% (mean corrected amplitude 1.6 ± 0.7, 1.6 ± 0.8) with mean asymmetry ratios of 13.0 and 9.0%. Air- and bone-conducted ocular-vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials were symmetric in 67.7 and 97.2% (mean amplitude 9.2 ± 6.4 and 20.3 ± 12.8 µV) with mean asymmetry ratios of 15.7 and 9.9%. Audiometry was age consistent and symmetric in 85.5%.

CONCLUSION

Vestibular migraine is characterised by low velocity ictal spontaneous nystagmus, which can be horizontal, vertical, or torsional, and normal audiovestibular test results.

Do we need to reconsider the classification of vestibular migraine?

Introduction: Vestibular migraine (VM) is a complex disease characterized by recurrent episodes of migraine associated with vertigo attacks that are observed in 1-3% of the general population. Given its high prevalence and the impact on the health system, it is important to characterize these patients, in order to offer an accurate diagnosis and a proper treatment. As the diagnosis of VM is based on clinical features, the study of potential biomarkers has gained more interest in the last years, to improve the precision in the diagnosis of this disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the main tests available for the diagnosis of VM, including the accuracy of biomarkers for the diagnosis of VM.Areas covered: This review summarizes the main information on VM, including all diagnosis records published in the field in the last 10 years, and focusing on candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of VM patients.Expert opinion: There is a limited knowledge in the pathophysiology of VM. The search of biomarkers for diagnosis of VM is needed to improve the precision in the diagnosis promoting clinical and translational research. The potential reclassification of VM will depend upon the discovery and validation of these biomarkers.

Vertigo without cochlear symptoms: vestibular migraine or Menière disease?

BACKGROUND

Menière's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder due to raised endolymphatic pressure (hydrops), characterized by cochlear symptoms associated with episodic vertigo. In delayed hydrops, vertigo attacks begin long after the onset of a hearing loss. Few were published on MD in which the onset of vertigo precedes cochlear symptoms by several months. Vestibular migraine (VM) is also a cause of episodic vertigo and an association between migraine and MD was proposed. Purpose of our retrospective work was to assess clinical features associated with MD in which vertigo precedes by months cochlear symptoms.

METHODS

Our sample was composed by 28 subjects reporting episodic vertigo accompanied by migrainous headache or photo-phonophobia, without cochlear symptoms at onset; during follow-up, all patients developed cochlear symptoms leading to a diagnosis of MD. Results of bedside examination were compared with those of 48 VM subjects with diagnosis of VM confirmed in the follow-up. All subjects performed a bedside examination, including head-shaking, positional, and skull vibration test (SVIN).

RESULTS

SVIN was more frequent in MD, while positive positional test in VM. In the entire group of 72 subjects, migrainous headache during vertigo and positive positional test were correlated with a final diagnosis of VM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data are not inconsistent with the hypothesis that in patients reporting only photo-phonophobia during vertigo attacks and with a positive SVIN, the clinical manifestations may be predictive for evolution toward a MD, while migrainous headache and positive positional tests more frequently are correlated to VM.

Vestibular migraine: the chameleon in vestibular disease

Vestibular migraine (VM) has been recently receiving increasing attention as an independent disease concept. It is a common cause of dizziness or headache; however, it was not clearly defined until 2018. Its diagnosis mainly relies on clinical history, including vertigo and migraine, as indicated by the appendix of the 3^rd edition of the International Classification Diagnostic Criteria for Headache Diseases. There is often an overlap of vertigo and migraine across vestibular diseases; therefore, VM often imitates various vestibular diseases. Additionally, VM lacks specific laboratory biomarkers; therefore, it has high misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rates. Therefore, numerous clinical patients could have inaccurate diagnoses and improper treatment. Therefore, there is a need for further basic research to further clarify the pathogenesis. Moreover, there is a need for clinical trials focusing on specific laboratory biomarkers, including serological, radiological, and electrophysiological examinations, to develop more detailed and complete diagnostic criteria.

Could ionic regulation disorders explain the overlap between meniere's disease and migraine?

Ménière's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterized by a burden of symptoms and comorbidities, including migraine. In both disorders, ionic dysregulation may play a role as a predisposing factor. In recent years. aquaporins have been widely investigated, but the results are far from conclusive. We recently studied the genetics of ionic transporters and the hormone endogenous ouabain as predisposing factors for development of MD. In particular, we found two genetic polymorphisms associated with MD: 1) rs3746951, a missense variant (Gly180Ser) in the salt-inducible kinase-1 (SIK1) gene encoding a Na+, K+ ATPase; 2) rs487119, an intronic variant of gene SLC8A1 coding for a Na+, Ca++ exchanger (NCX-1). Ionic concentration in the brain also plays a role in the pathophysiology of migraine. In this brief review we summarize what has been published on MD and migraine.

Severity and Its Contributing Factors in Patients With Vestibular Migraine: A Cohort Study

Objective: As a recently defined disease entity, vestibular migraine (VM) is a variant of migraine with broad spectrum of manifestations. We evaluated a prospective cohort of patients with VM in two centers to assess severity of VM attacks and investigate its contributing factors in patients with VM. Methods: Adult participants with the diagnosis of VM or probable VM were enrolled according to the 2012 International Headache Society-Bárány Society Criteria. Every outpatient was followed up for 6 months to record the occurrence of VM attacks. Clinical data such as age, sex, number of VM attacks, severity on the visual analog scale, and lipid intake were collected and analyzed. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaires, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were also administered to find contributing factors. Results: During a 6-month clinical follow-up, 313 VM attack were reported. According to the Visual Analog Scale, the patients were divided into two groups. Then univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted. Among the risk factors, duration of illness (adjusted OR, 1.041; 95% CI, 1.010-1.073; P = 0.009), time of onset: 00:00:00-12:00:00 (adjusted OR, 3.961; 95% CI, 1.966-7.979; P < 0.001) and PSQI scores (adjusted OR, 1.086; 95% CI, 1.002-1.178; P = 0.046) were significantly associated with the severity of VM attack assessed by VAS. Conclusion: The data suggest that patients tended to experienced more severe VM attacks in early hours of a day, especially for those sufferers with longer duration of illness or poor sleep quality. Targeted management of such factors is required to reduce the severity of attacks.

The "hype" of hydrops in classifying vestibular disorders: a narrative review

Background

Classifying and diagnosing peripheral vestibular disorders based on their symptoms is challenging due to possible symptom overlap or atypical clinical presentation. To improve the diagnostic trajectory, gadolinium-based contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear is nowadays frequently used for the in vivo confirmation of endolymphatic hydrops in humans. However, hydrops is visualized in both healthy subjects and patients with vestibular disorders, which might make the clinical value of hydrops detection on MRI questionable.

Objective

To investigate the diagnostic value of clinical and radiological features, including the in vivo visualization of endolymphatic hydrops, for the classification and diagnosis of vestibular disorders.

Methods

A literature search was performed in February and March 2019 to estimate the prevalence of various features in healthy subjects and in common vestibular disorders to make a graphical comparison between healthy and abnormal.

Results

Of the features studied, hydrops was found to be a highly prevalent feature in Menière’s disease (99.4%). Though, hydrops has also a relatively high prevalence in patients with vestibular schwannoma (48.2%) and in healthy temporal bones (12.5%) as well. In patients diagnosed with (definite or probable) Menière’s disease, hydrops is less frequently diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging compared to the histological confirmation (82.3% versus 99.4%). The mean prevalence of radiologically diagnosed hydrops was 31% in healthy subjects, 28.1% in patients with vestibular migraine, and 25.9% in patients with vestibular schwannoma. An interesting finding was an absolute difference in hydrops prevalence between the two diagnostic techniques (histology and radiology) of 25.2% in patients with Menière’s disease and 29% in patients with vestibular schwannoma.

Conclusions

Although the visualization of hydrops has a high diagnostic value in patients with definite Menière’s disease, it is important to appreciate the relatively high prevalence of hydrops in healthy populations and other vestibular disorders. Endolymphatic hydrops is not a pathognomic phenomenon, and detecting hydrops should not directly indicate a diagnosis of Menière’s disease. Both symptom-driven and hydrops-based classification systems have disadvantages. Therefore, it might be worth to explore features “beyond” hydrops. New analysis techniques, such as Radiomics, might play an essential role in (re)classifying vestibular disorders in the future.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00415-020-10278-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Systematic Review of Prevalence Studies and Familial Aggregation in Vestibular Migraine

Background: Vestibular migraine (VM) is complex disorder consisting of episodes of migraine and vertigo with an estimated prevalence of 1–3%. As migraine, it is considered that VM has genetic predisposition; however, evidence to support a genetic contribution has not been critically appraised.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to assess available evidence in scientific publications to determine the role of inheritance in VM.

Methods: After performing the quality assessment of the retrieved records, 31 studies were included (24 epidemiological reports and 7 genetic association studies in families or case-control in candidate genes). We gathered data about prevalence of VM in different populations and in families, and also about the genetic findings reported. In addition, other variables were considered to assess the heritability of VM, such as the ancestry, the age of onset or the familial history of vertigo and migraine.

Results: The estimated prevalence of VM was different between black (3.13%), white (2.64%) and Asian (1.07%) ethnicities. The reported prevalence of VM in migraine patients is higher in European countries (21%) than in Asian countries (10%). Moreover, the prevalence of the migraine-vertigo association in families is 4–10 times higher than the prevalence reported in the general population (sibling recurrence risk ratio λ_s = 4.31–10.42). We also found that the age of onset is lower in patients with simultaneous onset of symptoms and in those who have familial history for migraine and/or vertigo, suggesting anticipation. Although some genetic studies have reported few allelic variants associated to MV, replication studies are needed to validate these results.

Conclusions: The available evidence to support heritability in VM is limited. Variability in prevalence depending on ethnicity and geographic location suggests a combined genetic and environmental contribution to VM. However, the familial aggregation observed in VM support genetic and shared familial environmental effects that remarks the necessity of twins and adoptees-based epidemiological studies to estimate its heritability.

Patients With Vestibular Migraine are More Likely to Have Occipital Headaches than those With Migraine Without Vestibular Symptoms

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether patients with vestibular migraine are more likely to suffer from an occipital headache than patients with migraine without vestibular symptoms.

BACKGROUND

Vestibular migraine is an underdiagnosed disorder in which migraine is associated with vestibular symptoms. Anatomical evidence and symptomatology hint at the involvement of brain structures in the posterior fossa (back of the head location). We hypothesized that vestibular migraine patients are more likely than migraineurs without vestibular symptoms to experience headaches located in the back of the head, that is, occipital headaches.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. Chart analysis of 169 patients was performed. The primary outcome was the location of the headache in vestibular migraine patients and migraineurs without vestibular symptoms. The secondary outcomes included the association of vestibular migraine with gender, age at onset of headache, age at onset of vestibular symptoms (such as vertigo, head motion-induced dizziness), aura, motion sickness, other associated symptoms, family history of headaches, and family history of motion sickness.

RESULTS

In vestibular migraine group, 45/103 (44%) had occipital location for their headaches vs 12/66 (18%) in migraine patients without vestibular symptoms, for an odd's ratio of 3.5 (95% CI = 1.7-7.2, P < .001). Additionally, the age at onset of headache was greater in the vestibular migraine group (28 ± 12 vs 18 ± 9 years, P < .001) and motion sickness was more common (41/98 (42%) in the vestibular migraine group, 1/64 (2%) in the migraine without vestibular symptoms group, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that patients with vestibular migraine are more likely to have occipital headaches than patients with migraine without vestibular symptoms. Our data support the initiation of a prospective study to determine whether a patient presenting with occipital headaches, with late onset of age of headache, and with a history of motion sickness is at an increased risk for the possible development of vestibular migraine.