Psychosomatic Medicine 16:93-103 (1954)
© 1954 American Psychosomatic Society

Headache

Studies by Means of the Basal Electroencephalogram

¹ Special Research Fellow of U.S. Public Health Service; from the Medical School of San Marcos University, Lima, Peru
² Department of Neurology and E.E.G. Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Massachusetts

In 61 individuals electroencephalographic studies were obtained applying a new technique for the recording from the base of the brain.

Thirty-six patients were suffering with headache, and there were 25 normal subjects. The basal brain activity found has been arbitrarily divided into three grades: I, low voltage symmetrical type; II, higher voltage, 7-14 waves per second, usually asymmetrical, dominant in the left side; III, when the latter activity becomes intermingled with sharp waves or spikes.

Both Grades II and III increase during mental activity and emotional conflict. This so-called basal rhythm has been found in 28 per cent of normal subjects, in 30 per cent of simple headache, and in 61.5 per cent of the migraine group. The basal rhythm of Grade III has not been found in our normal subjects.

The rhythm described is probably an electrical activity related to a function of the rhinencephalic areas including the temporal lobes.