Basilar-type migraine facts for kids

This picture shows the arteries that bring blood to the brain. Basilar-type migraines often affect the area supplied by the basilar artery.

The occipital region is circled here. Symptoms of a Basilar-type migraine often begin in this area.

Basilar-type migraine (BTM) is a special kind of migraine headache. It comes with something called an aura, which means you might have strange feelings or see things before the headache starts. The headache itself usually begins in the occipital region, which is the lower back part of your brain.

The symptoms of this migraine are thought to come from parts of the brain like the brainstem, the occipital cortex, and the cerebellum. The pain can sometimes affect both sides of your brain at the same time.

Most people who experience basilar-type migraines also get regular migraines with aura that don't have these specific basilar symptoms. This type of migraine is more common in young people, usually between the ages of 10 and 19.

What Does 'Basilar' Mean?

The word Basilar comes from an old French word, basilaire. It means "of or related to the base." In medicine, it often refers to the bottom or base of a body part, like the base of your skull.

Basilar-type migraine got its name because it was first thought to only affect areas of the brain that get blood from the bas basilar artery. This includes parts of the brain in the posterior fossa and the brainstem, which are in the lower, back part of your brain (the occipital region).

However, scientists later found that BTM can also affect other parts of the brain, even those not directly supplied by the basilar artery. Also, there's no clear proof that problems with the basilar artery itself are the cause of these migraines. So, while the name stuck, we now know it's a bit more complex!