Altered brain activity and functional connectivity in migraine without aura during and outside attack

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Pain Research

Background:

• Migraine is a cyclic neurological disorder characterized by variable cortical excitability.
• Understanding brain activity changes during migraine attacks and interictal periods is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cortical excitability in migraine without aura patients during attacks (MWoA-DA) and interictal periods (MWoA-DI).
• To explore functional connectivity (FC) in brain regions with altered cortical excitability.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used.
• Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) assessed spontaneous brain activity.
• Regions of interest (ROI) identified for FC analysis based on significant group differences.

Main Results:

• MWoA-DA patients exhibited higher ALFF in the trigeminocervical complex (TCC) compared to MWoA-DI patients and healthy controls (HC).
• MWoA-DA patients showed decreased FC between the TCC and the left postcentral gyrus.
• MWoA-DI patients displayed altered ALFF in the right cuneus and right rolandic operculum compared to HC, with cuneus ALFF correlating with migraine disability.

Conclusions:

• The trigeminovascular system and descending pain pathways are implicated in migraine pathophysiology.
• Altered brain activity in the TCC during attacks and in the cuneus during interictal periods suggests dynamic changes in migraine.
• These findings enhance understanding of migraine physiopathology and disease severity correlations.