Systematic analysis of three FHM genes in 39 sporadic patients with hemiplegic migraine.

de Vries, B
Freilinger, T
Vanmolkot, K R
Koenderink, J B
Stam, A H
Terwindt, G M
Babini, E
van den Boogerd, E H
van den Heuvel, J J
Frants, R R
Haan, J
Pusch, M
van den Maagdenberg, A M
Ferrari, M D
Dichgans, M

This month's set of abstracts is a potpourri of articles, but it includes some important studies that affect daily practice. I refer to the neurogenetics article that deals with associated ataxias and the specifics of the mutations involved, the clinical involvement of myofascial pain in migraine perpetuation (finally legitimizing some of the “voodoo” I have been accused of calling therapy), and the use of noninvasive cortical stimulation. The latter may someday be one of the treatments we have been looking for as a way to support other potentially less (monetarily) valuable, but clinically vital, treatment modalities.

—Mark J. Stillman, MD

Headache 48(4):p 646, April 2008.