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Brain white matter lesions in migraine: what's the meaning?

Bruno Colombo1, D Dalla Libera, G Comi

  • 1Department of Neurology, Headache Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Vita-Salute University, Via Olgettina 48, 20100 Milan, Italy. colombo.bruno@hsr.it

Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
|May 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Migraine is linked to brain white matter lesions, possibly due to vascular issues. Further research is needed to understand the clinical significance of this brain damage.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Migraine is associated with structural brain changes, including white matter lesions.
  • These lesions, often in the posterior circulation, are typically interpreted as ischemic.
  • The link between severe headaches and white matter hyperintensities is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the association between migraine and structural brain damage.
  • To investigate the potential causes and clinical relevance of white matter lesions in migraine patients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of studies reporting brain white matter lesions in migraine patients.
  • Analysis of imaging findings and clinical data.

Main Results:

  • Studies indicate an association between migraine and white matter lesions or silent infarct-like abnormalities.
  • Vascular risk factors are often linked to migraine, especially migraine with aura.
  • The relationship between headache severity and white matter hyperintensities requires further clarification.

Conclusions:

  • Migraine is associated with brain white matter lesions, with potential ischemic origins.
  • The clinical significance of this brain damage, including cognitive impact, warrants further investigation.

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