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Published on: May 23, 2011
High frequency-rTMS of the left DLPFC relieve headaches and enhance frontal-temporal connectivity in migraine
Penghui Song1, Siran Li1, Yuxuan Shao2
1Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing 100053, China; Center of Epilepsy, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Center for Sleep and Consciousness Disorders, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Objective:
Migraine is a neurological disorder linked to altered cortical excitability. High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) is a promising non-invasive method for modulating nociceptive circuits, yet its precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study applied HF-rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and assessed brain network changes using transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG).
Methods:
We analyzed dynamic brain connectivity in 15 migraine patients versus 15 healthy controls. A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial evaluated a 14-day HF-rTMS (20 Hz) protocol in 28 migraine patients. Brain network reorganization and migraine severity, measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and monthly migraine days (MMD), were assessed both immediately after treatment and at a one-month follow-up.
Results:
Migraine patients exhibited reduced left DLPFC connectivity compared to healthy controls. HF-rTMS significantly increased frontal-temporal network connectivity, correlating with a marked reduction in VAS and MMD scores (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
These findings provide novel evidence that HF-rTMS targeting the left DLPFC effectively alleviates migraine symptoms by enhancing frontal-temporal cortical plasticity.
Significance:
This study highlights the potential of neuromodulation techniques in the treatment of migraine.
