A migraine with predominant brainstem aura symptoms is known as a basilar migraine. Bickerstaff first described it in 1961. Other names for it are basilar artery migraine, basilar-type migraine, brainstem migraine, vertebrobasilar migraine, and Bickerstaff migraine. It was named basilar migraine because it was thought to be caused by spasm of the basilar artery. However, there is no proven evidence of vascular pathology for a basilar migraine, and it is now believed to be due to the firing of nerves in the brainstem. It is now recognized as a subtype of migraine with aura and is preferably called "migraine with brainstem aura."
Aura refers to short-lived sensory symptoms experienced just before or during the acute migraine episode. About one-fourth of all migraine patients experience typical aura symptoms. Migraine with brainstem aura (a basilar migraine) is a rare subtype of a migraine with aura that presents with symptoms originating from the brainstem or both cerebral hemispheres at the same time.
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