Persistent aura without infarction is a rare, disabling but benign condition that spans neurology, neuro-ophthalmology, and psychiatry. It is likely caused by cortical spreading depression and vasoconstriction, and its clinical features often do not fit neatly into existing diagnostic criteria. Diagnosis requires excluding cerebral and retinal infarction, structural brain changes, epilepsy, and psychiatric symptoms. Triptans may be harmful, anticoagulants are not indicated, and treatments such as acetazolamide, valproic acid, zonisamide, furosemide, cortisone, and ketamine may help. An approach using zonisamide and ketamine might be beneficial, but randomized controlled trials are needed.
Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) is a technique for analyzing functional MRI data that can reveal more detailed information about brain activity than conventional methods. MVPA has shown that content-specific information about perceptions, memories, and decisions is present at early stages of perceptual processing. When combined with image reconstruction techniques, MVPA can reveal the contents of consciousness. The development of MVPA may lead to new therapeutic applications but also raises important ethical considerations.