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Microstructural differences in migraine: A diffusion-tensor imaging study
Dóra Dobos1,2,3, Gyöngyi Kökönyei1,2,3,4, Gyula Gyebnár5
1NAP3.0-SE Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hungarian Brain Research Program, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Background:
Diffusion-tensor imaging can be applied to describe the microstructural integrity of the whole brain. As findings about microstructural alterations in migraine are inconsistent, we aimed to replicate the most frequent results and assess a relationship between migraine parameters and changes in microstructure.
Methods:
Diffusion-weighted MRI data of 37 migraine patients and 40 controls were collected. Two indices of diffusion of water molecules, fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were used in a voxel-wise analysis. Group comparisons were carried out in SPM12 using age and sex as covariates. Statistically significant results survived family-wise error correction (pFWE < 0.05). Migraine intensity, frequency, and duration were self-reported and correlated with mean fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values across clusters.
Results:
Migraine patients showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy in occipital regions, and significantly higher fractional anisotropy in thirteen clusters across the brain. Mean diffusivity of migraine patients was significantly decreased in the cerebellum and pons, but it was not increased in any area. Correlation between migraine duration and fractional anisotropy was significantly positive in the frontal cortex and significantly negative in the superior parietal lobule.
Conclusion:
We suggest that microstructural integrity of the migraine brain is impaired in visual areas and shows duration-related alterations in regions of the default mode network.
Insights
Migraine is linked to brain microstructure changes, particularly in visual areas. Longer migraine duration correlates with alterations in brain regions associated with the default mode network.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
Background:
- Diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) assesses whole-brain microstructural integrity.
- Previous studies on migraine-related microstructural alterations show inconsistent findings.
- This study aimed to replicate frequent DTI findings in migraine and explore correlations with migraine parameters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microstructural brain changes in migraine patients using DTI.
- To determine if migraine characteristics (intensity, frequency, duration) correlate with observed microstructural alterations.
Main Methods:
- Collected diffusion-weighted MRI data from 37 migraine patients and 40 controls.
- Analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) using voxel-wise analysis in SPM12.
- Correlated self-reported migraine parameters with regional FA and MD values.
Main Results:
- Migraine patients exhibited reduced FA in occipital regions.
- Increased FA was observed in thirteen other brain clusters in migraine patients.
- Decreased MD was found in the cerebellum and pons; no increased MD was detected.
- Migraine duration positively correlated with FA in the frontal cortex and negatively in the superior parietal lobule.
Conclusions:
- Migraine is associated with impaired microstructural integrity in visual brain areas.
- Migraine duration correlates with microstructural alterations in default mode network regions.
