Headache, stroke and brain damage caused by substance abuse

Abstract

Headache, encephalopathy, and brain damage are a common consequences of substance abuse. The use of specific substances may cause damage to specific parts of the brain and affect its functionality. Computer associated tomography - CAT, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance - NMR, and other types of imaging devices provide the possibility of revealing parts of the brain that are damaged. Various kinds of psychoactive substances have been used for self treatment of headache and especially migraine. We provide a review of the literature and projects on headache, brain damage, stroke and encephalopathy consequential to substance abuse.