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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Systemic right-to-left shunts, ischemic brain lesions, and persistent migraine activity
Hille Koppen1, Inge H Palm-Meinders2, Werner H Mess2
1From the Department of Neurology (H.K., R.W.K.), Haga Hospital, The Hague; Departments of Neurology (H.K., G.M.T., M.D.F.) and Radiology (I.H.P.-M., M.A.v.B., M.C.K.), Leiden University Medical Center; Clinical Neurophysiology (W.H.M.), Maastricht University Medical Center, Netherlands; and Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences (L.J.L.), National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD. h.koppen@hagaziekenhuis.nl.
Right-to-left shunts (RLS) are more common in migraine with aura patients. While RLS are linked to persistent migraine, they don't fully explain brain infarcts in migraineurs.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Radiology
Background:
- Migraine is a common neurological disorder.
- Systemic right-to-left shunts (RLS) are a potential risk factor for cerebrovascular events.
- The relationship between RLS, migraine, and brain infarcts requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if migraine is associated with an increased prevalence of RLS.
- To investigate if RLS are linked to brain infarcts in migraine patients.
- To assess the association between RLS and persistent migraine activity in older adults.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 166 migraineurs and 69 controls from the general population.
- Brain MRI and transcranial Doppler with air contrast were utilized.
- Participants were assessed for Valsalva-induced and spontaneous RLS.
Main Results:
- Migraine with aura patients showed a higher prevalence of Valsalva-induced RLS compared to controls and migraine without aura.
- Spontaneous RLS were more frequent in migraine with aura patients than in migraine without aura.
- Spontaneous RLS were associated with persistent migraine activity, but RLS did not explain silent posterior circulation infarcts or white matter lesions.
Conclusions:
- RLS are more prevalent in individuals with migraine with aura.
- Spontaneous RLS are linked to persistent migraine activity.
- RLS do not appear to be the primary cause of increased silent posterior circulation infarcts in migraineurs.
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