Cenesthetic pain sensations illustrated by an artist suffering from migraine with typical aura

• Published in: Cephalalgia Vol. 19; no. 6; p. 598
• Main Authors: Podoll, K, Bollig, G, Vogtmann, T, Pothmann, R, Robinson, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-07-1999
• Subjects: Adult; Humans; Male; Medical Illustration; Medicine in the Arts; Migraine Disorders - diagnosis; Migraine Disorders - psychology; Neurocognitive Disorders - diagnosis; Neurocognitive Disorders - psychology; Pain Measurement; Thalamic Diseases - diagnosis; Thalamic Diseases - psychology
• ISSN: 0333-1024
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006598.x

In addition to attacks with the well-known pulsating characteristics of migrainous headache, migraine patients may experience a variety of peculiar pain sensations which are phenomenologically similar to the spontaneous sensations occurring in patients with thalamic disturbances and to the cenesthesias described as basic symptoms in functional psychoses. A 36-year-old artist with a history of migraine with typical aura provided impressive illustrations of cenesthetic pain sensations experienced during his migraine attacks, including sensations of pressure and sensations of pulling. It is suggested that cenesthetic pain sensations represent aura symptoms of migraine indicative of focal cerebral dysfunction, probably in the thalamic region. The occurrence of cenesthetic pain sensations as a migraine symptom supports the notion of an organic etiology of cenesthesias, as postulated in Huber's concept of basic symptoms of functional psychoses.