Abnormal brain activity changes in patients with migraine: a short-term longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Brain Function

Background:

• Migraine is a complex neurological disorder.
• The cumulative effects of migraine-related nociceptive input on brain structure are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate longitudinal brain activity changes in female migraine patients.
• To characterize alterations using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Main Methods:

• Nineteen migraine patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) were studied.
• Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity were assessed.
• The correlation between headache parameters and brain alterations was examined.

Main Results:

• Migraine patients showed increased headache activity over time.
• Abnormal ReHo was observed in the putamen, orbitofrontal cortex, secondary somatosensory cortex, brainstem, and thalamus.
• Longitudinal ReHo changes and dysfunctional putamen connectivity were noted in patients.

Conclusions:

• Progressive brain aberrations in migraine are linked to increased headache attacks.
• The putamen appears crucial for integrating information in migraine-related brain networks.