Brain structural and functional abnormalities associated with acute post-traumatic headache: iron deposition and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can lead to acute post-traumatic headache (PTH).
• Brain iron accumulation is a potential consequence of mTBI.
• The relationship between brain iron, functional connectivity, and PTH symptoms requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain iron accumulation in individuals with acute PTH following mTBI.
• To determine if iron accumulation affects functional connectivity in affected brain regions.
• To explore correlations between iron levels, headache frequency, symptom severity, and mTBI history.

Main Methods:

• Sixty participants with acute PTH and 60 healthy controls (HC) underwent 3T MRI.
• Quantitative T2* maps assessed iron accumulation; resting-state functional connectivity imaging evaluated brain network activity.
• T-tests identified group differences in T2* values; linear regression and functional connectivity analyses explored clinical correlations.

Main Results:

• Participants with PTH exhibited lower T2* values (indicating higher iron) in the left posterior cingulate and bilateral cuneus compared to HC.
• Stronger functional connectivity was found between the bilateral cuneus and right cerebellum in the PTH group.
• Lower T2* in the left posterior cingulate correlated with higher symptom severity (SCAT scores); lower T2* in the left cuneus correlated with increased headache frequency.

Conclusions:

• Iron accumulation in the posterior cingulate and cuneus is associated with acute PTH after mTBI.
• Altered functional connectivity between the cuneus and cerebellum was observed in individuals with PTH.
• Iron accumulation may reflect mTBI pathophysiology severity and associate with post-mTBI symptoms like PTH.