Functional-MRI evaluation of pain processing in chronic migraine with medication overuse

Withdrawal is the first step for treating patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse. Recent studies confirmed common elements in personality between these patients and subjects addicted; some neuroimaging researches showed that abnormalities revealed are related to a specific cerebral pattern and that they can return to the normal state after withdrawal. Aim of the study was to submit a group of patients suffering from chronic migraine and medication overuse (the diagnosis was made according to Silberstein-Lipton criteria) to a withdrawal, to evaluate by f-MRI the presence of specific cerebral patterns before treatment and their possible changes after withdrawal. f-MRI seems to be a useful technique to obtain information on particular neuronal changes of the pain network involved in this type of patients. The activated areas are congruent with some data of the literature and the data emerged are discussed according to preceding reports.