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Visual attention in children with migraine: a controlled comparative study
T R Villa1, A R Correa Moutran, L A Sobirai Diaz
1Division of Investigation and Treatment of Headaches, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery Federal University of São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo-SP, Brazil. cvdiniz@terra.com.br
Insights
Children with migraine show poorer visual attention compared to healthy peers. This study highlights attention deficits in pediatric migraine, impacting selective and alternate attention abilities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Migraine is a common neurological disorder in children.
- Visual attention is crucial for cognitive development and daily functioning.
- Previous research suggests potential links between migraine and cognitive deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare visual attention in children with migraine versus a control group.
- To identify specific attention deficits in pediatric migraine patients.
- To explore the relationship between migraine pathophysiology and attention mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Trail Making Tests (TMT) A/B, Letter Cancellation Test, and the Visual Attention Test (third edition).
- Evaluated 30 children with migraine (2 days post-headache) and 30 healthy controls.
- Employed standardized neuropsychological assessments for visual attention.
Main Results:
- Migraine group demonstrated significantly inferior performance on TMT A (P=0.03) and TMT B (P=0.001).
- Children with migraine made more errors in tasks 1 (P=0.032) and 2 (P=0.015) of the Visual Attention Test.
- Deficits were observed in selective and alternate attention within the migraine group.
Conclusions:
- Children with migraine exhibit significant deficits in visual attention compared to controls.
- These findings suggest that migraine pathophysiology may predispose children to attention difficulties.
- Further research into neurochemical and structural underpinnings is warranted.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual attention of children with migraine and compare it with a control group. Thirty migrainous children and 30 controls without headache were subjected to a visual attention assessment with Trail Making Tests (TMT) A/B, Letter Cancellation Test, and the Brazilian computerized test Visual Attention Test, third edition. The migraine group was evaluated after 2 days without headache. The migraine group had an inferior performance compared with the control group on TMT A (P = 0.03) and B (P = 0.001), and more errors on tasks 1 (P = 0.032) and 2 (P = 0.015) of the Visual Attention Test, presenting difficulty with selective and alternate attention. Attention is a neurological function that depends on structures such as the brainstem, cerebral cortex and the limbic system and on neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline. The neurochemical aspects involved in the physiopathology of migraine and attention mechanisms probably predispose these children to visual attention deficits.
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