Headache frequency associates with brain microstructure changes in patients with migraine without aura

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.