血清C反应蛋白水平与脑卒中的病情及预后关系探讨

目的：探讨急性脑卒中患者发病早期血液中C反应蛋白（CRP）含量高低与病情严重程度及预后的影响。方法：对155例患者血清CRP含量进行测定，其中脑梗死41例（脑梗死组），脑出血40例（脑出血组），腔隙性梗死33例（脑隙性梗死组）及非脑卒中41例（对照组）。结果：（1）脑卒中患者CRP阳性率明显较对照组升高（P〈0．01）；其中脑出血组较脑梗死组CRP水平高（P〈0．05），脑梗死组较腔隙性梗死组水平高（P〈0．05），而腔隙性梗死组与对照组比较无明显升高（P〉0．05）。结论：急性脑卒中患者早期血清CRP升高提示病情严重且预后不良     

老年人无症状性脑梗死56例临床分析

目的：探讨老年非脑卒中患者无症状脑梗死的发生率、影像学特征及危险因素。方法：186例非脑卒中老年患者行颅脑CT检查发现无症状脑梗死56例，分析其影像学特征，并对危险因素与非无症状脑梗死患者进行对比分析。结果；无症状脑梗死发生率为30．11％，男高于女；颅脑CT检查96．92％为腔隙性梗死，68．48％分布于基底节和内囊；无症状脑梗死组较症状脑梗死组年龄大，伴发高血压、糖尿病、高酯血症、心脏病及吸烟史高（P〈0．05）；血压值、血糖、血甘油三酯检测值及心电图异常率高（P〈0．05）。结论：无症状脑梗死在老年人群中常见，多为皮质下深部脑组织的腔隙灶，随着年龄的增长而增加，并与高血压痛、糖尿病、心脏病、高甘油三酯血症、吸烟史有关。     

无症状性脑梗死患者智能、记忆和情感的相关性

目的：探讨无症状性脑梗死（asymptomatic cerebral infarction,ACI)与智能、记忆和情感的关系。方法：采用龚氏修订的韦氏成人智力量表中国版、记忆量表中国版、抑郁及焦虑自评量表，对60例ACI患及相匹配的40例正常对照组以及50例症状性脑梗死（symptomatic cerebral infarction,SCI)组进行检查研究。结果：ACI组大部分分测验值明显低于正常对照组（P＜0．01－0．05），但与SCI组无显差异；38例智力低于正常，其中14例出现智能障碍；47例记忆力低于正常，其中记忆障碍25例；不同梗死区域及数量有认知功能损害的特点；ACI组抑郁发生率及SDS标准分均明显高于正常对照组（P＜0．01），SAS标准分与正常对照组比较无差异；有抑郁症状29例；抑郁组各智商及记忆商显低于正常组（P＜0．01），非抑郁组语言智商（verbal intelligence quotient,VIQ)显低于正常组（P＜0．05）。结论：ACI患存在明显认知功能障碍，多发性梗死、双侧梗死和抑郁情绪更易产生认知功能障碍。     

脑梗死患者D-二聚体、超敏-CRP和一氧化氮测定的临床意义

目的探讨脑梗死患者血中D-二聚体（D-Dimer）、超敏C-反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、一氧化氮（NO）含量变化与脑梗死发生的关系。方法分别采用ELISA法、免疫散射比浊法和硝酸还原酶法测定D-Dimer、hs-CRP和NO含量。结果脑梗死组D，Dimer和hs．CRP含量明显高于对照组（P〈0．01）；脑梗死NO含量明显低于对照组（P〈0．01）；NO与D．Dimer（r=-0．50），P〈0．05和hs-CRP（r=-0．68。P〈0．01）含量经统计学处理呈负相关；D-Dimer和hs-CRP含量经统计学处理呈正相关（r=0．64，P〈0．01）；而且脑梗死面积大组D-Dimer和hs-CRP含量明显高于面积小组（P〈0．01）。结论血中D-二聚体、超敏C-反应蛋白、一氧化氦含量与脑梗死的发生及发展有密切关系。     

2型糖尿病与脑梗死的相关性研究

目的探讨2型糖尿病患者合并脑梗死的临床特点。方法对258例脑梗死患者按有无2型糖尿病分组,根据空腹血糖、合并高血压、高血脂、抑郁障碍、痴呆、神经功能缺损程度等指标进行对照研究。结果①糖尿病合并脑梗死组中患者的高血压、高血脂、抑郁障碍的发生率均较非糖尿病脑梗死组有明显增高（P〈0．05）。②糖尿病合并脑梗死组痴呆和神经功能缺损评分重型的发生率较非糖尿病脑梗死组有显著性增高（P〈0．01）,而年龄、神经功能缺损评分轻型和中型与非糖尿病脑梗死组相比则没有差异。③糖尿病合并脑梗死组中多灶性梗死、大面积梗死所占比例明显较非糖尿病脑梗死组高（P〈0．05）,而腔隙性梗死、混合性卒中及出血性梗死所占比率两组差异不显著,但两组中腔隙性梗死所占的比例均明显高于其他梗死类型。结论糖尿病多与高脂血症、高血压同时存在,而且糖尿病能加重脑梗死的症状,是影响脑血管病变的危险因素之一。     

缺血性卒中相关头痛与梗死部位相关性研究

目的:分析急性缺血性卒中相关头痛与脑梗死部位和前后循环分布的关系。方法:回顾性收集我院515例诊断为"急性缺血性卒中"的住院病人,收集卒中和头痛资料,分析不同梗死部位和前后循环头痛发生率以及头痛部位与前后循环、梗死侧别的相关性。结果:515例急性缺血性卒中病人总体头痛发生率为7%,枕叶受累脑梗死病人头痛发生率明显高于枕叶未受累者,前循环系统梗死病人右侧半球脑梗死头痛发生率明显高于左侧,头痛部位与梗死前后循环分布、梗死侧别均无明显相关性。结论:急性缺血性卒中头痛的发生与脑梗死部位可能有一定关系,其中累及枕叶的脑梗死更容易发生头痛,头痛部位不能预测梗死部位或供应血管。     

二尖瓣环钙化与颈动脉粥样硬化关系的超声研究

目的 了解二尖瓣环钙化（MAC）与颈动脉粥样硬化之间的关系，探讨MAC能否作为颈动脉粥样硬化的独立预测因子。方法 采用高频超声对156例MAC患者（其中55例为重度MAC患者）及118例年龄、性别与之相匹配的无MAC对照者的颈动脉进行了检测。结果 ①与对照组比较，MAC组及重度MAC组患者高血压和糖尿病的患病率明显增加（P〈0．05）；②MAC组颈动脉粥样硬化斑块发生率，颈动脉狭窄≥20％、≥40％及双侧颈动脉狭窄≥40％的发生率均显著高于对照组（P〈0．01），重度MAC组上述指标的改变更为显著（P〈0．01）。此外，重度MAC组颈动脉狭窄≥60％的发生率明显高于对照组（P〈0．05）；③MAC组及重度MAc组颈动脉内-中膜厚度（IMT）显著高于对照组（P〈0．01）；④单因素及多因素Logistic回归分析结果均表明：MAC是颈动脉狭窄≥40％最有意义的预测因子（P〈0．01）。结论 MAC与颈动脉粥样硬化之间存在十分密切的关系，通过对MAC的检测，能够预测颈动脉粥样硬化的存在及其程度，在临床实际工作中，对于有二尖瓣环钙化的患者应常规进行颈动脉粥样硬化的检查。     

脑梗死患者不同时期血浆蛋白S水平与梗死范围的关系

目的：通过观察脑梗死患者外周血不同时期血浆蛋白S水平的变化，探讨蛋白S水平与脑梗死范围的关系。方法：选择2002—07／2003-01上海第二医科大学附属仁济医院神经内科住院或急诊留院观察急性脑梗死患者38例（脑梗死组）。对照组为来本院体检的健康者38例，性别、年龄均与脑梗死组相匹配（P〉0，05）。脑梗死组在入院时（发病5d以内）、发病后20d采静脉血2mL（对照组与脑梗死组同时间点采血）。总蛋白S和游离蛋白S含量均采用双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法测定。结果：参加实验脑梗死组39例，对照组38例，均采样至实验结束。①不同病程阶段蛋白S水平的变化：脑梗死组急性期（5d内）、亚急性期（20d）总蛋白S水平均较对照组明显下降[（13．80&;#177;2，83），（14．69&;#177;2，66），（16，91&;#177;4，04）mg／L，（t=-3．888，-2．828，P〈0．01）]。脑梗死组急性期、亚急性期游离蛋白S水平均较对照组明显下降[（6．36&;#177;2．02），（6．88&;#177;1．60），（8，80&;#177;2．41）mg／L，（t=-4．782，-4．095，P〈0．01）]。②不同梗死范围蛋白S水平的变化：根据入院1周时MRI的检查结果分为腔隙性脑梗死组11例和非腔隙性脑梗死组27例。急性期、亚急性期非腔隙性脑梗死组患者总蛋白S水平低于腔隙性梗死组患者1急性期：（13．22&;#177;2．79），（15．22&;#177;2．50）mg／L；亚急性期：（13．88&;#177;2．16），（16．68&;#177;2．83）mg／L，（t=-2．062，-3.313，P〈0．05）]；明显低于对照组[（16．91&;#177;4．04）mg／L（t=-4．098，-3，906，P〈0．01）1。急性期、亚急性期非腔隙性脑梗死组患者游离蛋白S水平低于腔隙性梗死组患者[（5．78&;#177;1．69），（7．79&;#177;2．14）mg／％；（6．41&;#177;1，40），（8．03&;#177;1．52）mg／L，（t=-3．077，-3．151，P〈0．05）]；明显低于对照组[（8，80&;#177;2．41）mg／L，（t=-5．944，-5．031，P〈0．01）]。结论：脑梗死患者蛋白S水平在急性期、亚急性期均明显下降，其下降的水平与病灶大小有一定关系。     

脑梗死患者活化血小板的检测及其临床意义

目的探讨脑梗死患者全血血小板膜糖蛋白Ⅱb／Ⅲa（PAC-1）、血小板颗粒膜糖蛋白140（CD6p）的变化及其临床意义。方法用全血流式细胞术测定76例脑梗死患者急性期和恢复期、30例高血压病患者和28例糖尿病患者外周血中血小板PAC-1、CD62P的表达水平，并与20例健康对照者比较。结果脑梗死组急性期、恢复期、高血压病组、糖尿病组PAC-1、CD62p的表达均明显高于正常对照组（均P〈0．01）。脑梗死患者急性期PAC-1、CD62P的表达大梗死灶组〉中梗死灶组〉小梗死灶组，各组之间比较有显著性差异（P〈0．01～0．05）。脑梗死患者急性期PAC-1、CD62P的表达重型〉中型〉轻型，各组之间比较有显著性差异（P〈0．01～0．05）。结论脑梗死急性期、恢复期、高血压病患者、糖尿病患者均存在血小板活化；脑梗死病人血小板活化与病情及梗死灶大小有关，PAC-1、CD62p可作为判断病情的指标。     

短暂性脑缺血发作患者颈动脉粥样硬化斑块和血浆基质金属蛋白酶-3的关系

目的：研究短暂性脑缺血发作（TIA）患者颈动脉中层厚度（IMT）及斑块发生率和血浆基质金属蛋白酶3（MMP-3）的血浆水平及两者的相关性。方法：用彩色多普勒超声检测26例有梗死TIA患者．30例无梗死TIA患者和30例健康对照组颈动脉IMT及斑块，用ELISA法测定血浆基质金属蛋白酶-3（MMP-3）。结果：与对照组相比，有梗死组和无梗死组的甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（CHO）、低密度脂蛋白（LDL-C）的水平偏高，而高密度脂蛋白（HDL-C）则降低，有显著差异（P〈0．05），有梗死组和无梗死组间比较无显著差异（P〉0.05）。伴有脑梗死的TIA组与无梗死TIA组的颈动脉IMT明显高于对照组，两组的斑块发生率亦明显高于对照组，有显著差异（P〈0．05），两组之间比较无差异。MMP-3的血浆水平在伴有脑梗死的TIA组明显升高，与无脑梗死和正常对照组比较有显著差异（P〈0.05），而无梗死TIA组和正常对照组比较无显著差异（P〉0.05）。结论：血浆MMP3水平的提高、和颈动脉内膜中层增厚及斑块的不稳定性、TIA的形成和发展有着密切联系。     

Characteristics of postictal headache in patients with partial epilepsy

Migraine-like features sometimes characterize the headache that follows epileptic seizure (postictal headache, PIH). We compared patients with different types of epilepsy to investigate the association between migraine-like PIH and seizure type. Subjects comprised 364 patients with partial epilepsy. Epilepsy types were temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE, n = 177), frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE, n = 116), and occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE, n = 71). Patients participated in a structured interview pertaining to PIH as well as interictal headache and family history of migraine. Headaches were classified according to the International Headache Society criteria, which was modified for this study. Forty percent had PIH and 26% of these patients had migraine-like PIH. Migraine-like PIH occurred significantly more often in cases of TLE and OLE than in cases of FLE. In addition, the incidence of interictal migraine headache was significantly higher in patients with migraine-like PIH. These results suggest that migraine-like PIH is related to particular regions of epileptogenic focus and that susceptibility to migraine headache predisposes to migraine-like PIH.     

Occipital Lobe Tumor Presenting as Migraine With Typical Aura

We report the case of a 60-year-old woman in whom migraine with typical aura heralded the presence of an occipital lobe tumor. Her headache was characterized by recurrent episodes of visual aura confined to the left visual field followed by right hemicranial throbbing headaches accompanied by nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. Interictal neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations were negative, as was an unenhanced brain CT scan. The headaches increased in frequency over 4 months despite a number of medications known to prevent attacks of migraine.
A low-grade right occipital lobe tumor was eventually discovered on MR scan. This case illustrates that headache fulfilling the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria for migraine with typical aura can occur in association with an occipital lobe tumor.     

偏头痛相关性脑卒中发病中抗磷脂抗体的作用

目的研究和探讨偏头痛与缺血性卒中的相关性以及抗磷脂抗体在偏头痛相关性卒中发病中的作用. 方法运用问卷调查方式统计普通人群及脑梗死患者偏头痛的患病率,将脑梗死患者按有否偏头痛病史分为两组,用 ELISA方法分别测定其血清抗心磷脂抗体( anticardiolipin antibodies , ACA)水平. 结果①脑梗死患者偏头痛的患病率与普通人群偏头痛的患病率分别为 20.0 %和 6.0%,二者之间差异有显著性意义(χ2=13.2671,P< 0.01).②脑梗死伴有偏头痛史者和无偏头痛史者,其 ACA阳性率分别为 41.7 %和 19.5 %,二者差异具有显著性意义(χ 2=5.0133,P< 0.05). 结论偏头痛病史与脑梗死具有明显相关性.抗磷脂抗体可能参与偏头痛所相关的脑梗死的发病机制.     

急性脑梗死后认知功能障碍的临床研究

目的 探讨并分析梗死灶部位与急性脑梗死(ACI)后认知功能障碍的关系.方法 选取134例ACI患者(ACI组)和100例健康人(对照组)进行简易精神状态检查表(MMSE)、临床记忆量表(CMS)、词语流畅性测验(VFT)、画钟测验(CDT)等评定,并行F300检查,将神经心理学量表评定结果及P300检查结果按照脑梗死的影像学分型进行对比研究.结果 1.中梗死与腔隙性梗死MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01);中梗死与小梗死、小梗死与腔隙性梗死之间MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).2.中梗死及小梗死亚组示:额、颞叶梗死MMSE、CMS评分低于基底核区和顶、枕叶梗死,基底核区梗死MMSE、CMS评分低于顶、枕叶梗死,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或0.01);额叶梗死VFT、CDT评分明显低于颞、顶、枕叶和基底核区梗死,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或0.01).腔隙性梗死亚组示:额、颞、顶、枕、基底核区梗死之间比较MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论 急性脑梗死后认知功能障碍与梗死灶部位密切相关.     

西比灵治疗儿童偏头痛频繁发作的脑血流状态研究

目的:探讨西比灵治疗儿童偏头痛频繁发作的脑血流状态变化及临床意义.方法:应用经颅多普勒超声技术(TCD)研究50例儿童偏头痛频繁发作患儿服药前及服药2周后脑血流改变及头痛发作变化情况.结果:(1)30例一侧偏头痛患儿服药前头痛侧与非头痛侧大脑中动脉(MCA)、大脑前动脉(ACA)的收缩期峰值流速(Vs)有显著性差异(P＜0.01),服药2周后双侧MCA、ACA的Vs无明显差异(P＞0.05),非头痛侧服药前与服药2周后Vs无显著性差异(P＞0.05);(2)20例双侧偏头痛患儿服药前与服药2周后的Vs有显著性差异(P＜0.01).结论:西比灵能明显改善偏头痛患儿的脑血流指标,可减少偏头痛的发作次数和头痛程度.     

急性脑梗死后认知功能障碍的临床研究

目的 探讨并分析梗死灶部位与急性脑梗死(ACI)后认知功能障碍的关系.方法 选取134例ACI患者(ACI组)和100例健康人(对照组)进行简易精神状态检查表(MMSE)、临床记忆量表(CMS)、词语流畅性测验(VFT)、画钟测验(CDT)等评定,并行F300检查,将神经心理学量表评定结果及P300检查结果按照脑梗死的影像学分型进行对比研究.结果 1.中梗死与腔隙性梗死MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01);中梗死与小梗死、小梗死与腔隙性梗死之间MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).2.中梗死及小梗死亚组示:额、颞叶梗死MMSE、CMS评分低于基底核区和顶、枕叶梗死,基底核区梗死MMSE、CMS评分低于顶、枕叶梗死,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或0.01);额叶梗死VFT、CDT评分明显低于颞、顶、枕叶和基底核区梗死,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或0.01).腔隙性梗死亚组示:额、颞、顶、枕、基底核区梗死之间比较MMSE、CMS、VFT、CDT评分差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论 急性脑梗死后认知功能障碍与梗死灶部位密切相关.     

Headache characteristics during the development of tolerance to nitrates: pathophysiological implications

Recent studies suggest that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in nitrate-induced headache and in spontaneous migraine attacks. Organic nitrates act as prodrugs for NO and headache is a predominant adverse effect of nitrates but often disappears during continuous treatment. Insight into tolerance to headache could lead to insight into vascular headache mechanisms in general. The specific aim of the present study was therefore to characterize the headache and accompanying symptoms during continuous nitrate administration until a state of tolerance to headache had developed. 5-isosorbide-mononitrate (5-ISMN) 30 mg three times daily was administered orally for 7 days in 11 healthy subjects in a double-blind, randomized placebo controlled cross-over design. Wash-out between periods was 14 days or more. Haemodynamic data from the present study were compared to the observed changes of headache over time. Headache during 5-ISMN was longer lasting and more severe compared to placebo (P<0.004). In 10 subjects the headache fulfilled the pain sub-criteria for migraine and in five subjects all diagnostic criteria for migraine without aura were fulfilled. Conversely, 20 min of intravenous infusion of glyceryl trinitrate caused a milder headache and no migraine. The present results therefore suggest that NO may elicit a migraine attack in many healthy subjects if a high enough dose is given for several hours. A close temporal association between the disappearance of headache and the attenuation of the 5-ISMN induced dilatation of the superficial temporal artery was observed. In contrast, tolerance in the middle cerebral artery already appeared after 24 h, which was earlier than the development of tolerance to headache. If vasodilatation is the cause of headache the results point to extracerebral arteries. However, cytotoxic and pain modulating central nervous system effects of NO, the time courses of which are unknown, may also play a role, involving both intra- and extracranial arteries.     

Headache induced by a nitric oxide donor (nitroglycerin) responds to sumatriptan. A human model for development of migraine drugs

Experimental "vascular" headache in humans may be used in characterizing new migraine drugs. The effects of sumatriptan on nitroglycerin-(NTG)-induced headache and arterial responses were therefore studied. Following a double-blind randomized crossover design, 10 healthy volunteers received sumatriptan 6 mg s.c. or placebo succeeded by 20 min NTG (0.12 mg/kg/min) infusion. Headache was rated on a 10 points scale. Temporal and radial artery diameters and velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were measured with ultrasound. Sumatriptan reduced the NTG-induced headache, median score 1.5 versus 4 after placebo ( p <0.01) and decreased temporal and radial artery diameters 75±3 and 86±3% of baseline respectively ( p <0.05), Blood velocity in the MCA was unaffected. The NTG model may prove to be a valuable tool in the development of future migraine drugs. The results suggest that NTG headache in non-migraineurs may share mechanisms with migraine headache.     

The effect of propranolol on glyceryltrinitrate-induced headache and arterial response

Prophylactic drug trials in migraine are long-lasting and expensive and require long-term toxicology information. A human migraine model would therefore be helpful in testing new drugs. Immediate headache and delayed migraine after glyceryltrinitrate (GTN) has been well characterized. We have recently shown that sodium valproate has prophylactic effect in the GTN model. Here we report our experience with propranolol in this model. Nineteen subjects with migraine without aura and 16 sex- and aged-matched healthy subjects were included in a two-centre randomized double-blind cross-over study. Fourteen migraine subjects and 14 healthy subjects completed the study and results from comparison of the 28 subjects are reported. Randomly propranolol 160 mg or placebo were each given daily for 14 days to both migraine and healthy subjects. A 20-min intravenous infusion of GTN 0.25 microg/kg per min was administered on a study day at the end of both pretreatment periods. Headache was registered for 12 h after GTN infusions. Its intensity was scored on a numerical verbal rating scale from 0 to 10. Fulfilment of International Headache Society (HIS) criteria was recorded for 24 h. Radial and superficial temporal artery diameters and blood velocity of both middle cerebral arteries were measured. All migraine subjects developed headache after GTN. No reduction of overall peak headache was found after propranolol (median 5, range 0-7) compared with placebo (median 5, range 0-10) (P = 0.441). Eight of the 14 completing migraine subject developed IHS 1.1 migraine after GTN, two subjects on both days, three subjects only after placebo, and three subjects only after propranolol. No reduction of GTN-induced migraine was found after propranolol compared with placebo (5 vs. 5, P = 1.000). All healthy subjects developed headache after GTN. No reduction of overall peak headache was found after propranolol (median 2, range 1-5) compared with placebo (median 1, range 1-7) (P = 0.315). Two subjects fulfilled IHS criteria 1.1 for migraine without aura after propranolol but not after placebo. The fulfilment was short lasting and did not require rescue medication. Headache after GTN was more pronounced in migraine subjects than in healthy subjects both with (P = 0.003) and without pretreatment with propranolol (P = 0.017). We found that 2 weeks of propranolol constricted the radial artery in healthy subjects but not in migraine subjects. GTN-induced vasodilatation abolished this difference. Mean maximum blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery was higher in healthy subjects than in migraine patients (P = 0.003-0.033) and unaffected by propranolol. We observed no effect of propranolol on GTN-induced headache and migraine. This could indicate that GTN induces migraine at a deeper level of the pathophysiological cascade of migraine than the prophylactic effect of propranolol. Propranolol does not constrict cerebral arteries, which therefore cannot be part of its mechanism of action in migraine.     

Aminergic tone correlates of migraine and tension-type headache: a study using the tridimensional personality questionnaire

BACKGROUND: Aminergic neurotransmitter activity has been studied in many neuropsychiatric diseases by means of a self-administered questionnaire proposed by Cloninger. Given that central aminergic modulation plays a major role in the pathophysiology of primary headaches, we investigated the personality dimensions related to aminergic neurotransmitter activity in patients with migraine and tension-type headache. METHODS: From a consecutive series of 230 patients, we selected those presenting with migraine and tension-type headache according to the International Headache Society criteria. All patients were assessed by means of the Cloninger 100-item self-report Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and a depression scale. The four dimensions of personality are novelty seeking (dopaminergic), harm avoidance (serotonergic), reward dependence (noradrenergic), and persistence (glutaminergic). RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one patients presenting with migraine and 42 with tension-type headache were recruited. The results indicate significantly higher harm avoidance scores (P<.001) in both patients with migraine and those with tension-type headache than in controls. Furthermore, patients with migraine had a significantly low score in the novelty seeking dimension (P<.001). When we compared only the two groups of patients with headache, we found that the persistence dimension alone was significantly higher in patients with migraine than in those with tension-type headache (P<.05). No differences were observed either in the overall scores of the other personality dimensions or in the depression scale scores. CONCLUSIONS: The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire results support a role of the serotonergic system in both migraine and tension-type headache pathophysiology. A dysfunction of dopaminergic and glutaminergic tone seems to be a specific feature of migraine.