Altered brainstem anatomy in migraine
Access Status
Authors
Date
2018Type
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Source Title
ISSN
Faculty
School
Collection
Abstract
© International Headache Society 2017.
Background: The exact mechanisms responsible for migraine remain unknown, although it has been proposed that changes in brainstem anatomy and function, even between attacks, may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of headache during migraine attacks. The aim of this investigation is to use brainstem-specific analyses of anatomical and diffusion weighted images to determine if the trigeminal system displays altered structure in individuals with migraine.
Methods: Voxel-based morphometry of T1-weighted anatomical images (57 controls, 24 migraineurs) and diffusion tensor images (22 controls, 24 migraineurs) were used to assess brainstem anatomy in individuals with migraine compared with controls.
Results: We found grey matter volume decreases in migraineurs in the spinal trigeminal nucleus and dorsomedial pons. In addition, reduced grey matter volume and increased free water diffusivity occurred in areas of the descending pain modulatory system, including midbrain periaqueductal gray matter, dorsolateral pons, and medullary raphe. These changes were not correlated to migraine frequency, duration, intensity or time to next migraine. Conclusion: Brainstem anatomy changes may underlie changes in activity that result in activation of the ascending trigeminal pathway and the perception of head pain during a migraine attack.
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Marciszewski, K.K.; Meylakh, N.; Di Pietro, Flavia ; Macefield, V.G.; Macey, P.M.; Henderson, L.A. (2019)© 2019 Marciszewski et al. The neural mechanisms responsible for the initiation and expression of migraines remain unknown. Although there is growing evidence of changes in brainstem anatomy and function between attacks, ...
-
Marciszewski, K.K.; Meylakh, N.; Harrington, Flavia ; Mills, E.P.; Macefield, V.G.; Macey, P.M.; Henderson, L.A. (2018)© 2018 the authors. The neural mechanism responsible for migraine remains unclear. While an external trigger has been proposed to initiate a migraine, it has also been proposed that changes in brainstem function are ...
-
Meylakh, N.; Marciszewski, K.K.; Di Pietro, Flavia ; Macefield, V.G.; Macey, P.M.; Henderson, L.A. (2021)Although the mechanisms responsible for migraine initiation remain unknown, recent evidence shows that brain function is different immediately preceding a migraine. This is consistent with the idea that altered brain ...