Is Ménière’s disease the ‘inner ear migraine’? A neurovascular region-based hypothesis supported by epidemiological appraisal and pathophysiological considerations

Abstract

Migraine (MG) and Ménière’s disease (MD) are idiopathic pathologies, but share several clinical, epidemiological, and genetic characteristics. Based on some considerations with regard to the pathophysiology and epidemiology of both MG and MD, the authors hypothesize that MG and MD could be interpreted as different neurovascular regional manifestations of the same pathology. An interpretation of MG and MD as the same phenomenon involving different brain regions could inspire and stimulate researchers studying aspects linking what has already been discovered in both fields, e.g. pathogenetic mechanisms or therapeutic development.

Keywords:

• Ménière’s disease
• migraine
• neurovascular district
• pathogenetic theory
• endolymphatic hydrops

Disclosure statement

None of the authors has any financial relationships or conflict of interest to disclose.