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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Headache frequency associates with brain microstructure changes in patients with migraine without aura
Yang Yu1, Hongru Zhao2, Lingling Dai1
1Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.188 Shizi Road, Soochow, Jiangsu Province, 215000, China.
Abstract:
Neuroimaging studies have implicated abnormal brain microstructure in episodic migraine (EM), but whether the pattern is altered during migraine chronification is not well known. Fifty-six patients with migraine without aura, including 39 EM patients and 17 chronic migraine (CM) patients, and 35 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed to assess gray matter (GM) volume differences among groups and their association with clinical feature was examined. Compared with the HC group, both migraine groups showed increased GM volume in the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) and decreased GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The left hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) volume of the HC group was smaller than that of the EM group, but was larger than that of the CM group. For the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the EM group showed the smallest GM volume while the CM group had the largest volume. Higher headache frequency was associated with greater GM volume in the PAG and dlPFC, but was associated with smaller GM volume in the ACC and hippocampus/PHG across all patients. GM volume changes in regions involved in pain generation and control are potential neural mechanism underlying migraine, and are associated with migraine types and headache frequency.
Insights
Brain imaging reveals distinct gray matter volume changes in episodic migraine and chronic migraine patients. These alterations in pain processing regions correlate with headache frequency and migraine type.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Brain Anatomy
Background:
- Neuroimaging studies suggest abnormal brain microstructure in episodic migraine (EM).
- The impact of migraine chronification on these microstructural patterns remains unclear.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for diagnosing and treating migraine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gray matter (GM) volume differences between episodic migraine (EM), chronic migraine (CM), and healthy controls (HCs).
- To explore the association between GM volume alterations and clinical features like headache frequency.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was employed.
- Fifty-six migraine patients (39 EM, 17 CM) and 35 HCs were included.
- GM volume was compared across groups and correlated with headache frequency.
Main Results:
- Both EM and CM groups showed increased GM volume in the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) and decreased GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) compared to HCs.
- The hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) volume was smaller in CM than EM and HCs.
- The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) showed the smallest GM volume in EM and the largest in CM.
- Higher headache frequency correlated with greater GM volume in PAG and dlPFC, but smaller GM volume in ACC and hippocampus/PHG.
Conclusions:
- Migraine is associated with GM volume changes in pain-related brain regions.
- These structural alterations differ between EM and CM, suggesting a role in migraine chronification.
- GM volume in specific brain areas is linked to headache frequency, offering potential biomarkers.
