Single case study basilar artery migraine presenting as conversion hysteria.

A case of basilar migraine headache in a young woman is presented. Although the patient had been treated by a neurologist for 2 years, the diagnosis was not established. When she presented to the emergency room of a local hospital, another neurologist diagnosed conversion reaction. Although there had been problems in the family, neurological examination during an episode of headache revealed the typical features of basilar migraine headache. This case illustrates the need for sharp neurological diagnostic skills among psychiatrists, as well as the need to avoid mind-body dichotomies when possible. With treatment for migraine, the patient has done well for several months posthospitalization.