Bout-associated intrinsic functional network changes in cluster headache: A longitudinal resting-state functional MRI...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Previous research linked cluster headache (CH) pathogenesis to the hypothalamus and brain networks.
• Limited knowledge exists on dynamic, bout-associated resting-state functional network changes in CH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate large-scale intrinsic brain network alterations in CH patients during and between headache bouts.
• To explore the relationship between functional connectivity (FC) changes and clinical features of CH.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from CH patients and controls.
• Independent component analysis (ICA) to assess intrinsic brain networks and their dynamic changes.
• Correlation analysis between FC and clinical CH characteristics.

Main Results:

• CH patients exhibited altered FC in temporal, frontal, salience, default mode, somatosensory, dorsal attention, and visual networks compared to controls, irrespective of bout status.
• During-bout scans revealed altered FC in frontal and dorsal attention networks compared to out-of-bout scans.
• Reduced frontal network FC correlated with longer CH duration.

Conclusions:

• Episodic CH may involve bout-associated FC changes in cortical areas beyond traditional pain pathways.
• Dynamic FC shifts in frontal and dorsal attention networks during different bout periods are crucial for understanding CH pathophysiology.