Sympathetic Skin Responses in Patients with Migraine Vestibulopathy

Abstract

Objective: TO evaluate the sympathetic nervous system activity in patients with migraine vestibulopathy (MV) by assessing sympathetic skin response (SSR) from both hands and postauricular (PA) region. Study Design: Prospective non-randomized study Setting: Neurology and Oncology hospital Patients and Methods: Twenty-four patients diagnosed as MV and 17 healthy control subjects were enrolled to this study. SSR was recorded with the contralateral electrical stimulation of the median nerve for both palmar and postauricular (PA) regions between attacks. The results were compared with those recorded from control healthy subjects. Results: Palmar SSRs were obtained from all of the patients and control subjects and there was no statistically significant difference between control and patient groups. The entire control group demonstrated bilateral PA-SSRs. We recorded bilateral PA-SSR in 13 patients, but we could not obtain PA-SSR in 11 patients. There was a significant difference in mean PA-amplitude values (p: 0.0001) and insignificant difference in mean PA-latency values (p: 0.279) between control and responder patient groups. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that SSR measurements of MV patients were either absent or lower than control subjects which could be interpreted as sympathetic dysfunction. Moreover, these results may present a new pathophysiological bridge between migraine and vestibular pathologies.