Cluster headache: a clinical and pathophysiological overview

摘要

Cluster headache is characterized by recurrent, unilateral attacks of headache of great intensity and brief duration. Attacks are often accompanied by local symptoms and signs of autonomic dysfunction. They tend to occur regularly from day to day and their timing seems to be related to the sleep-wake cycle. Attacks most commonly appear in clusters, so called active cluster periods ( episodic cluster headache) lasting from a week to several months. The periods are separated by clinical remissions of at least 2 weeks. The cause of the circadian and circannual rhythmi-city of cluster headache is not known. A transient dysfunction of rhythm regulating centers in the nervous system may, however, contribute to the pathophysiology. About 10-15 % of patients suffer from chronic symptoms (so-called chronic cluster headache).