Clinical description of attack-related cognitive symptoms in migraine: a systematic review

Introduction Cognitive symptoms have been described during migraine attacks since the Roman era; while being neglected throughout the centuries, they are relevant contributors to migraine-related disability. Objective To determine whether cognitive symptoms are included in clinical series describing migraine attack phenomenology, and which symptoms occur in each attack phase. Method Systematic review of existing data on clinical descriptions of migraine attacks, focusing on cognitive symptomatology. Data were organized and analyzed qualitatively, due to methodological differences between studies. Results Twenty-four articles were reviewed, with a total sample of 7007 patients, including 82.9% females with an average age of 39.2 years. Twenty one (75%) studies analyzed one phase of the attack (eight prodromes, five auras, one between aura and pain, three headaches and three postdromes), the remaining studied more than one phase. Cognitive complaints were the most frequent symptom of the prodromic (30%) and headache (38%) phases, while fatigue (70%) dominated the resolution phase. Not enough data is available to estimate the frequency of cognitive symptoms during the aura. Discussion Cognitive symptoms are described in all phases of the migraine attack phenomenology in published clinical series of migraine. Their characteristics appear to be different in each attack phase, although methodological limitations prevent generalization of this finding.