Elevated auditory radiation integrity in migraine: evidence from diffusion tensor imaging

Auditory symptoms are a common feature in migraines, yet the underlying neural basis is poorly understood. Prior studies have identified thalamic alterations in patients with migraines, particularly in the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN), suggesting possible changes in auditory thalamocortical pathways.

Diffusion tensor imaging data was obtained from 431 participants in the Nathan Kline Institute - Rockland Sample. Migraine history was determined by self-reported physician diagnosis. Probabilistic tractography was performed to segment the auditory radiation, and fractional anisotropy (FA) was extracted bilaterally. A one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tested group differences in FA between migraine (n = 62) and non-migraine participants (n = 369), controlling for age and sex.

Individuals with a history of migraine showed significantly higher FA in the auditory radiation compared to controls (F(1,427) = 4.90, p = .027, partial η² = .011). Neither age nor sex was a significant covariate.

Migraines are associated with an increased microstructural integrity of the auditory thalamocortical pathway. These findings suggest a neuroanatomical basis for migraine-related auditory dysfunction and support the auditory radiation as a potential biomarker for future investigations of migraine-related hearing complications.