ABSTRACT
Migraine with aura is characterized by transient focal neurological symptoms called aura. Visual, sensory, and dysphasic aura are the most common symptoms, but other aura variants such as motor aura may occur. The visual and sensory aura are generally characterized by positive symptoms (flickering light, zigzag lines, or prickling paresthesias) followed by negative symptoms (blind spot and numbness). Furthermore, the aura symptoms usually develop gradually, over a few minutes, and often spread over the area of initial clinical manifestation (across the visual field, from one hand to the lower arm, or across the face). The aura duration is usually less than one hour. The aura symptoms may be followed by headache, nausea, vomiting, or photo-or phonophobia as seen in migraine without aura, but aura attacks may also occur in isolation. This chapter describes the classification and clinical features of migraine with aura.
