Headache and Pain Research

Review Articles

Headache and Stroke: A Review: Jong S. Kim; Headache Pain Res. 2026;27(1):7-12. Published online February 24, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.62087/hpr.2025.0028

Abstract PDF: Headache is a common disorder that is usually unaccompanied by focal neurological dysfunction. Less commonly, headache may be associated with central nervous system diseases such as stroke. Headache can occur at the time of stroke onset, but it may also precede or follow the onset of stroke. Nevertheless, headaches associated with stroke have not been sufficiently studied, in part because stroke physicians are primarily focused on diagnosis, risk factors, pathophysiological mechanisms, imaging findings, and treatment (e.g., thrombolysis and endovascular therapy) rather than on headache. In this narrative review, I describe the frequency and characteristics of headache across various stroke subtypes, including ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other miscellaneous conditions such as venous infarction, arterial dissection, and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.

Migraine and Stroke: Myoung-Jin Cha, Ha Yeun Oh, Jiyoung Kim; Korean J Headache. 2023;24(2):50-55. Published online December 31, 2023

Abstract PDF: The relationship between migraine and stroke is intricate and bidirectional. Migraine, a neurological disorder characterized by severe headaches and associated symptoms, exhibits some similarities in presentation with stroke. Conversely, stroke can at times mimic migraine symptoms. Migrainous infarction is directly associated with stroke. Specifically, migraine with aura has been linked to an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Migraine with aura and the frequency of headaches are considered risk factors for stroke. Moreover, migraine is associated with subclinical infarct-like brain lesions and white matter changes. Additionally, some genetic disorders predispose individuals to develop both migraine and stroke. In this review, we aim to investigate the relationship between migraine and stroke.

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