C2 rotation and spinous process deviation in migraine: cause or effect or coincidence?

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Anatomy

Background:

• Previous studies suggested a link between C2 (second cervical vertebra) abnormalities and unilateral migraine side.
• Reported C2 anomalies include spinous process deviation, asymmetrical prominence, and vertebral rotation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between C2 vertebral anomalies and the lateralization of headache in migraine patients.
• To determine if C2 morphology correlates with headache side in unilateral migraine.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of imaging data from migraine patients and a control group.
• Assessment of C2 spinous process deviation, asymmetrical prominence, and vertebral rotation.
• Comparison of C2 anomaly prevalence and side between migraineurs and controls.

Main Results:

• C2 vertebral anomalies were found with similar frequency in both migraine patients and control subjects.
• No significant association was observed between the side of C2 anomalies and the side of headache lateralization in migraine.
• Findings remained consistent across different migraine subgroups.

Conclusions:

• The presence and lateralization of C2 vertebral anomalies are not associated with unilateral migraine headaches.
• This study challenges prior findings suggesting a link between C2 morphology and migraine side.
• C2 vertebral appearance is unlikely to be a reliable indicator for migraine lateralization.