migraine with aura

Migraine with aura is a neurological condition where individuals experience auras, which are sensory disturbances, before or during a migraine headache. This condition is thought to be caused by cortical spreading depression, a slow-moving wave of abnormal neural activity across the brain's surface.1

The most common aura is visual, often involving flashing lights or blind spots that expand over time. Sensory auras, such as tingling or numbness that spreads, and disturbances in language or balance, can also occur. While typically followed by a headache, sometimes the aura can occur without one, which is known as acephalgic or silent migraine. The headache itself is caused by inflammation of cranial nerves and the brain's protective membranes, mediated by neuropeptides.12