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Functional neuroimaging of primary headache disorders
Anna S Cohen1, Peter J Goadsby
1Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. a.cohen@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|August 9, 2006
Summary
Neuroimaging reveals primary headache disorders like migraine are brain-driven, not vascular. Functional imaging studies help understand and target the neural causes of these common and severe headache conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Primary headache disorders, including migraine and cluster headache, were historically viewed as vascular conditions.
- Recent advancements challenge this vascular theory, suggesting a central nervous system origin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review functional imaging studies investigating the neural basis of primary headache disorders.
- To highlight the role of neuroimaging in understanding headache pathophysiology.
Main Methods:
- Review of functional imaging studies: positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- Inclusion of newer techniques: voxel-based morphometry and magnetic resonance spectrometry.
- Analysis of studies on migraine, cluster headache, rarer headache syndromes, and experimental head pain.
Main Results:
- Functional imaging provides substantial evidence that primary headaches originate in the brain.
- Neuroimaging techniques visualize brain activity and structure related to headache states.
- These methods are crucial for identifying neural substrates involved in headache syndromes.
Conclusions:
- The neurobiological basis of primary headache disorders is increasingly understood through functional imaging.
- Functional imaging plays a vital role in elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying various headache types.
- Future research using these techniques can guide targeted therapeutic strategies for headache relief.