Responsiveness of the visual system in childhood migraine studied by means of VEPs

We have tried to ascertain whether the increased visual evoked potential (VEP) amplitude found in adult migraineurs is present also in children with migraine. We investigated 43 children, 26 male and 17 female, with a mean age of 11.4 years, 24 with common and 19 with classic migraine, and compared them with a control group of 20 children, 11 male and 9 female, with a mean age of 9.7 years. Flash and pattern reversal VEPs were recorded in both groups, and the study was carried out in the pain-free interval between attacks. The children with migraine showed a significant (p less than 0.01) increase in VEP amplitude on flash stimulation but not on pattern reversal. There were no differences between classic and common migraine. The abnormal responsiveness of the visual system seems to be related to variations in light intensity rather than to spatial contrasts.