Traditionally, migraine has been characterized by its paroxysmal attacks, with the interictal phase considered to be a symptom-free interval. However, emerging evidence suggests that the "migraine brain" remains in a state of altered neuro-excitability and impaired habituation between attacks, manifesting as debilitating interictal symptoms....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No direct change to audiological practice; audiologists seeing patients with dizziness or hearing complaints should be aware that migraine-related neurological changes may persist between attacks and could contribute to ongoing vestibular or auditory symptoms.
Recognising that migraine is a continuous neurological condition rather than an episodic one has implications for audiologists managing patients with vestibular migraine or migraine-associated auditory symptoms.
- 01The interictal phase of migraine is not symptom-free; cognitive, sensory, and neurological changes persist between attacks.
- 02Review challenges the traditional episodic model of migraine as a purely attack-based disorder.
- 03Persistent interictal symptoms may affect quality of life independently of attack frequency.
- 04Findings are relevant to vestibular migraine management in audiology and ENT settings.
- 05Published in Cephalalgia; PMID 42974711.
The interictal phase of migraine is not symptom-free and involves measurable neurological changes.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42974711
- DOI
- 10.1177/03331024261502429.
- Journal
- Cephalalgia
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Migraine patients (general; synthesised across reviewed literature)
- Intervention
- Characterisation of interictal phase symptoms and neurological changes in migraine
Primary outcomes
Symptoms present during the interictal (between-attack) phase of migraine; Neurological and physiological changes measurable between migraine attacks