A study from Denmark identified that basilar migraine occurs in about 10% of individuals who suffer migraine with typical visual aura. Vertigo, slurred speech, tinnitus and diplopia were the commonest reported symptoms. Some individuals experience disorientation or confusion in addition to transient loss of consciousness termed syncope.
In general most individuals with basilar type migraine first experience symptoms associated with their migraine headache in early adult life, ie. often between late adolescence into their 20s.
The Danish study suggested that basilar-type migraine starting from the first time over 50 years of age was unusual. However the occurrence of basilar-type migraine attacks can potentially occur at any age.
Basilar-type migraine can sometimes be confused with another rare migraine aura variant termed hemiplegic migraine. Individuals who have hemiplegic migraine experience weakness typically of the arm and face as part of their migraine aura in contrast to more common migraine aura.
Excerpts taken from The Migraine Trust
