Skip to main content
Top
Published in: BMC Neurology 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Case report

Synesthesia and Migraine: Case Report

Authors: Karl B Alstadhaug, Espen Benjaminsen

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2010

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Synesthesia is, as visual migraine aura, a common and fascinating perceptual phenomenon. Here we present a unique case with synesthesias exclusively during visual migraine auras.

Case presentation

A 40-year-old woman with a cyclic mood disorder had suffered from migraine with visual aura for several years. On several occasions she had experienced "mixing of senses" during the aura phase. Staring at strong bright light she could experience intense taste of lemon with flow from the salivary glands.

Conclusion

Acquired synesthesia, exclusively coincident with migraine aura, gives support to the idea of an anomalous cortical processing underlying the phenomenon.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Simmer J, Mulvenna SJ, Sagiv N, Tsakanikos E, Witherby SA, Fraser C, Scott K, Ward J: The prevalence of atypical cross-modal experiences. Perception. 2006, 35: 1024-1033. 10.1068/p5469.CrossRef Simmer J, Mulvenna SJ, Sagiv N, Tsakanikos E, Witherby SA, Fraser C, Scott K, Ward J: The prevalence of atypical cross-modal experiences. Perception. 2006, 35: 1024-1033. 10.1068/p5469.CrossRef
2.
go back to reference Galton F: Visualized numerals. Nature. 1880, 21: 252-256. 10.1038/021252a0.CrossRef Galton F: Visualized numerals. Nature. 1880, 21: 252-256. 10.1038/021252a0.CrossRef
3.
go back to reference Paulesu E, Harrison J, Baron-Cohen S, Watson JD, Goldstein L, Heather J, Frackowiak RS, Frith CD: The physiology of coloured hearing. A PET activation study of colour-word synaesthesia. Brain. 1995, 118: 661-676. 10.1093/brain/118.3.661.CrossRefPubMed Paulesu E, Harrison J, Baron-Cohen S, Watson JD, Goldstein L, Heather J, Frackowiak RS, Frith CD: The physiology of coloured hearing. A PET activation study of colour-word synaesthesia. Brain. 1995, 118: 661-676. 10.1093/brain/118.3.661.CrossRefPubMed
4.
go back to reference Nunn JA, Gregory LJ, Brammer M, Williams SC, Parslow DM, Morgan MJ, Morris RG, Bullmore ET, Baron-Cohen S, Gray JA: Functional magnetic resonance imaging of synesthesia: activation of V4/V8 by spoken words. Nat Neurosci. 2002, 5: 371-375. 10.1038/nn818.CrossRefPubMed Nunn JA, Gregory LJ, Brammer M, Williams SC, Parslow DM, Morgan MJ, Morris RG, Bullmore ET, Baron-Cohen S, Gray JA: Functional magnetic resonance imaging of synesthesia: activation of V4/V8 by spoken words. Nat Neurosci. 2002, 5: 371-375. 10.1038/nn818.CrossRefPubMed
5.
go back to reference Rouw R, Scholte S: Increased structural connectivity in grapheme-color synesthesia. Nat Neurosci. 2007, 10: 792-797. 10.1038/nn1906.CrossRefPubMed Rouw R, Scholte S: Increased structural connectivity in grapheme-color synesthesia. Nat Neurosci. 2007, 10: 792-797. 10.1038/nn1906.CrossRefPubMed
6.
go back to reference Hubbard EM, Ramachandran VS: Neurocognitive mechanisms of synesthesia. Neuron. 2005, 48: 509-20. 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.10.012.CrossRefPubMed Hubbard EM, Ramachandran VS: Neurocognitive mechanisms of synesthesia. Neuron. 2005, 48: 509-20. 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.10.012.CrossRefPubMed
8.
go back to reference Beeli G, Esslen M, Jäncke L: When coloured sounds taste sweet. Nature. 2005, 434: 38-10.1038/434038a.CrossRefPubMed Beeli G, Esslen M, Jäncke L: When coloured sounds taste sweet. Nature. 2005, 434: 38-10.1038/434038a.CrossRefPubMed
9.
go back to reference Österbauer RA, Matthews PM, Jenkinson M, Beckmann CF, Hansen PC, Calvert GA: Color of scents; Chromatic stimuli modulate odor responses in the human brain. J Neurophysiol. 2005, 93: 3434-3441.CrossRefPubMed Österbauer RA, Matthews PM, Jenkinson M, Beckmann CF, Hansen PC, Calvert GA: Color of scents; Chromatic stimuli modulate odor responses in the human brain. J Neurophysiol. 2005, 93: 3434-3441.CrossRefPubMed
10.
go back to reference Jette N, Patten S, Williams J, Becker W, Wiebe S: Comorbidity of migraine and psychiatric disorders--a national population-based study. Headache. 2008, 48: 501-516. 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2007.00993.x.CrossRefPubMed Jette N, Patten S, Williams J, Becker W, Wiebe S: Comorbidity of migraine and psychiatric disorders--a national population-based study. Headache. 2008, 48: 501-516. 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2007.00993.x.CrossRefPubMed
11.
go back to reference Morrison DP: Abnormal perceptual experiences in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1990, 10: 273-277. 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1990.1006273.x.CrossRefPubMed Morrison DP: Abnormal perceptual experiences in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1990, 10: 273-277. 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1990.1006273.x.CrossRefPubMed
12.
go back to reference Otnov LD, Feldman M, Greene M, Martinez-Mustardo Y: Psychomotor epileptic symptoms in six patients with bipolar mood disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 1984, 141: 1583-1586.CrossRef Otnov LD, Feldman M, Greene M, Martinez-Mustardo Y: Psychomotor epileptic symptoms in six patients with bipolar mood disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 1984, 141: 1583-1586.CrossRef
13.
go back to reference Hartman AM, Hollister LE: Effect of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide and Psilocybin on color perception. Psychopharmacologia. 1963, 4: 441-451. 10.1007/BF00403349.CrossRefPubMed Hartman AM, Hollister LE: Effect of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide and Psilocybin on color perception. Psychopharmacologia. 1963, 4: 441-451. 10.1007/BF00403349.CrossRefPubMed
14.
go back to reference Sacks OW: Migraine Revised and expanded. 1972, Berkeley-Los Angeles-Oxford: University of California Press Sacks OW: Migraine Revised and expanded. 1972, Berkeley-Los Angeles-Oxford: University of California Press
15.
go back to reference Sacks O: An anthropologist on Mars. 1995, New York: Vintage Books Sacks O: An anthropologist on Mars. 1995, New York: Vintage Books
16.
go back to reference Podoll K, Robinson D: Auditory-visual synaesthesia in a patient with basilar migraine. J Neurol. 2002, 249: 476-477. 10.1007/s004150200042.CrossRefPubMed Podoll K, Robinson D: Auditory-visual synaesthesia in a patient with basilar migraine. J Neurol. 2002, 249: 476-477. 10.1007/s004150200042.CrossRefPubMed
17.
go back to reference Rosenberg G: The mechanisms of action of valproate in neuropsychiatric disorders: can we see the forest for the trees?. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007, 64: 2090-2103. 10.1007/s00018-007-7079-x.CrossRefPubMed Rosenberg G: The mechanisms of action of valproate in neuropsychiatric disorders: can we see the forest for the trees?. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007, 64: 2090-2103. 10.1007/s00018-007-7079-x.CrossRefPubMed
18.
19.
go back to reference Eagleman DM: Synaesthesia is a common and harmless perceptual condition. BMJ. 2010, 340: 221-222. 10.1136/bmj.b4616. EditorialsCrossRef Eagleman DM: Synaesthesia is a common and harmless perceptual condition. BMJ. 2010, 340: 221-222. 10.1136/bmj.b4616. EditorialsCrossRef
20.
go back to reference Somjen GG: Mechanisms of spreading depression and hypoxic spreading depression-like depolarization. Physiol Rev. 2001, 81: 1065-1096.PubMed Somjen GG: Mechanisms of spreading depression and hypoxic spreading depression-like depolarization. Physiol Rev. 2001, 81: 1065-1096.PubMed
21.
go back to reference Ward J, Huckstep B, Tsakanikos E: Sound-colour synaesthesia: to what extent does it use cross-modal mechanisms common to us all?. Cortex. 2006, 42: 264-280. 10.1016/S0010-9452(08)70352-6.CrossRefPubMed Ward J, Huckstep B, Tsakanikos E: Sound-colour synaesthesia: to what extent does it use cross-modal mechanisms common to us all?. Cortex. 2006, 42: 264-280. 10.1016/S0010-9452(08)70352-6.CrossRefPubMed
22.
go back to reference Frey S, Petrides M: Re-examination of the human taste region: a positron emission tomography study. Eur J Neurosci. 1999, 11: 2985-2988. 10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00738.x.CrossRefPubMed Frey S, Petrides M: Re-examination of the human taste region: a positron emission tomography study. Eur J Neurosci. 1999, 11: 2985-2988. 10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00738.x.CrossRefPubMed
23.
go back to reference Fisher RS, van Emde BW, Blume W, Elger C, Genton P, Lee P, Engel J: Epileptic seizures and epilepsy: definitions proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE). Epilepsia. 2005, 46: 470-472. 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2005.66104.x.CrossRefPubMed Fisher RS, van Emde BW, Blume W, Elger C, Genton P, Lee P, Engel J: Epileptic seizures and epilepsy: definitions proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE). Epilepsia. 2005, 46: 470-472. 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2005.66104.x.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Synesthesia and Migraine: Case Report
Authors
Karl B Alstadhaug
Espen Benjaminsen
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-10-121

Other articles of this Issue 1/2010

BMC Neurology 1/2010 Go to the issue