Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the visual cortex for migraine prevention: a proof-of-concept study

A Viganò,Sl Sava,V Di Piero,A Colosimo,A Giuliani,D Magis,M Auvé,V De Pasqua,J Schoenen

doi:10.1186/1129-2377-14-s1-p194

Abstract

Prophylaxis is challenging in migraine because of the low efficiency/tolerability ratio of most drugs [1]. Abnormal excitability of the cerebral cortex seems implicated in migraine pathophysiology [2]. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can durably modify the activity of a target cortex and thus be a promising treatment [3]. We have shown that the cerebral cortex, namely the visual cortex, is hyperreactive in migraineurs between attacks and hypothesized that this may be related more to a decreased preactivation level than to hyperexcitability per se [2]. Anodal, rather than cathodal, tDCS might be the stimulation modality of choice in migraine.

Highlights

Prophylaxis is challenging in migraine because of the low efficiency/tolerability ratio of most drugs [1]
At the end of Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment, there was on average a significant reduction in migraine frequency from 9.14 attacks during the baseline to 5.57 during tDCS (-36.65%, p
Anodal tDCS on the visual cortex is able to increase habituation of visual evoked potentials (VEP) that is reduced in migraineurs interictally

Summary

Introduction

Prophylaxis is challenging in migraine because of the low efficiency/tolerability ratio of most drugs [1]. Abnormal excitability of the cerebral cortex seems implicated in migraine pathophysiology [2]. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can durably modify the activity of a target cortex and be a promising treatment [3]. We have shown that the cerebral cortex, namely the visual cortex, is hyperreactive in migraineurs between attacks and hypothesized that this may be related more to a decreased preactivation level than to hyperexcitability per se [2]. Rather than cathodal, tDCS might be the stimulation modality of choice in migraine. Aims To explore the effect of anodal tDCS on visual cortex reactivity in healthy volunteers (HV) and migraine patients (EM) and its potentials for migraine prevention

Methods

Results

Discussion