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3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Spatial frequency differentially affects habituation in migraineurs: a steady-state visual-evoked potential study
Koichi Shibata1, Kiyomi Yamane, Yoshiko Nishimura
1Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, 2-1-10 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, 116-8567, Japan. kshbtgm@dnh.twmu.ac.jp
Documenta Ophthalmologica. Advances in Ophthalmology
|July 20, 2011
Summary
Migraine patients show higher visual-evoked potential (VEP) amplitudes, but habituation patterns differ from healthy individuals, particularly in migraine with aura (MA) patients across various spatial frequencies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Habituation deficits in visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) are a known abnormality in migraineurs.
- Previous studies have not fully explored steady-state VEPs with pattern-reversal stimuli regarding habituation and spatial frequency in migraine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate habituation behavior in migraineurs between attacks.
- To characterize VEPs in patients with migraine without aura (MO) and migraine with aura (MA) compared to healthy controls (HC).
Main Methods:
- Sequential steady-state VEPs were recorded using checkerboard patterns in four blocks.
- Participants included 12 MO, 12 MA, and 12 HC.
- Stimuli were presented at four spatial frequencies (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 cpd) and 7.5 Hz.
Main Results:
- Migraineurs consistently exhibited higher VEP amplitudes than controls.
- Habituation was not clearly demonstrated in HCs, and migraineurs did not show a distinct lack of habituation.
- MA patients displayed high-amplitude VEPs, significantly influenced by spatial frequency, especially at 2.0 cpd. Significant differences in sequential amplitude changes at 0.5 cpd were noted between MA and HC groups.
Conclusions:
- Migraine patients present with high-amplitude VEPs that are modulated by spatial frequency.
- These findings suggest altered pre-cortical and cortical visual processing excitability in migraineurs.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate VEP habituation characteristics in different migraine subtypes.

