Vestibular Migraine with Visual Aura and Olfactory Hallucination in Children: Two Case Reports

Background Approximately 3.9% children with migraine have olfactory hallucination which was defined as a perception of a smell without the substantial existence of any physical odor. Case We described the first two cases of children with vestibular migraine, presenting visual aura and olfactory hallucination. ​ We reported two children with vertigo, visual aura, and olfactory hallucination before the headache who were responsive to topiramate. Conclusion The clinical description of olfactory hallucination presented some characteristics of migraine aura. Olfactory hallucinations could be inserted as a migraine aura in International Classification of Headache Disorders.

100 Reciprocal Relationship Between Olfactory Ability and Olfactory Hallucination

IntroductionTransient fluctuation of smell concurrent with phantosmia has not been reported. Four such cases are presented.MethodsCase 1: A 27-year-old left handed (pathological) female, 7 years prior to presentation, noted constant olfactory hallucinations of dried blood and rotten sour eggs, level 8/10 in intensity.Results: Without phantosmia: Alcohol Sniff Test (AST): 14 (hyposmia). Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT): 10 (normosmia). Retronasal Smell Index: 0 (abnormal).With phantosmia: AST: 1 (anosmia). BSIT: 12 (normosmia). Retronasal Smell Index: 0 (abnormal). Normal 72-hour EEG and MRI.Case 2: A 19 year old right-handed woman presented with a 4 month history of unpleasant, fruity, rotten phantosmia occurring three times a day, 6-7/10 in intensity.Results: Without phantosmia: Pocket Smell Test (PST): 3 (normosmia). AST: 30 (normosmia). With phantosmia: AST: 13 (hyposmia). CT scan: normal. MRI: normal.Case 3: A 40 year old right-handed female presented with ashtray/cigarette phantosmia , occurring 10 times a day, lasting seconds to all day, 10/10 in intensity. Her sense of smell is normal except when the phantosmia is present, during which time it decreases to 70% of normal.Results: Without phantosmia: BSIT: 11 (normosmia). AST: 30 (normosmia). With phantosmia: AST: 11 (hyposmia). PST: 3 (normosmia). EEG: normal. MRI: few subcortical white matter hyperintensities on flair imaging.Case 4: A 60 year old right handed male with type 1 diabetes mellitus presented with four months of phantosmia of sweet tobacco, level 8/10 in severity, involves both nostrils, lasting 10 seconds and occurring two times a day. Over time, the hallucinated odor changed to a soapy smell 2-3/10 in intensity.Results: Without phantosmia: AST: 6 (hyposmia). BSIT: 8 (hyposmia). With phantosmia: AST: 1 (anosmia). PST: 2 (hyposmia). CT scan: normal.DiscussionOlfactory ability should be assessed in those with phantosmia, both during and in the absence of hallucinated odors, to detect transient olfactory deficits in order to direct treatment towards this condition.

Scent of aura? Clinical features of olfactory hallucinations during a migraine attack (OHM)

Introduction Olfactory hallucination during a migraine attack (OHM) is a rare phenomenon. At present, it is not considered a manifestation of migraine aura. Material and methods The clinical features of OHM were collected in 11 patients. Results Of the 11 patients, 10 had migraine without aura and one migraine with aura associated with OHM. Mean age at onset of headache and at appearance of OHM were respectively 17.8 and 32.3 years. Migraine average frequency was 3.9 attacks/month, 19% of them being associated with OHM. The temporal pattern of OHM maintained the same characteristics in the different attacks. OHM onset was described as sudden ( n = 5), gradual ( n = 3), initially sudden and then gradual ( n = 2), or developing in a few seconds ( n = 1). In most of the cases ( n = 8) OHM lasted from 3 to 10 minutes; it persisted during the pain phase (2–24 hours) in only three patients. The type of the perceived smell was invariably constant in nine patients. Conclusion OHM features fulfilled the ICHD-III beta criteria for typical aura.

Olfactory hallucination in childhood primary headaches: Case series

Background Although olfactory hallucination (OH) has been reported in patients with primary headaches, olfactory aura has not been recognised by the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-2). In this study, we examined the frequency and characteristics of OH among children and adolescents with primary headaches. Methods 839 neurologically normal patients with primary headaches (537 migraine) were eligible for the assessment of olfactory hallucination. Headache diagnosis was based on the ICHD. Data were prospectively collected during clinic sessions and using headache diaries. Results Olfactory hallucination was reported exclusively during headache attacks by 21/839 (2.5%) patients, all of whom had migraine. The prevalence of olfactory hallucination was 3.9% among migraineurs (6.5% among those with migraine aura). Olfactory hallucination shortly followed the onset of headaches and lasted from 15 to 50 minutes. Of those with MA, 10 patients had visual aura; two had somatosensory aura; one had motor aura; and two had a combination of visual and somatosensory aura. Using the ICHD-2, both OH and migraine aura occurred in the same headache attacks. In 12/15 patients, OH occurred simultaneously with migraine aura, whereas in 3/12 patients, it preceded aura. Conclusion Our findings show that olfactory hallucination occurs in migraine and it has similarities to migraine aura.