Abstract
Background Resting-state functional MRI is widely used in migraine research. However, the pathophysiology and imaging markers specific for migraine pathologies are not well understood. In this study, we combined both structural and functional images to explore the concurrence and process of migraines. Methods Thirty-four patients with a history of migraine without aura presenting during the interictal period (MwoA-DI), 10 patients with migraine without aura presenting during the acute attack (MwoA-DA), and 32 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in this study. All participants underwent scanning via MRI. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis were used to detect the brain structural and associated brain functional connectivity. Results In VBM analysis, a decrease of gray matter volume (GMV) in the middle frontal cortex was found in MwoA patients compared with HCs. The GMV of the middle frontal cortex had a negative correction with the duration of disease. In rs-FC analysis, the left middle frontal cortex (lower, VBM result) in both the MwoA-DA and the HC groups showed significantly increased functional connectivity with the left middle frontal cortex (upper) and left superior frontal cortex compared with MwoA-DI. The left middle frontal cortex (lower) in the MwoA-DI group also showed decreased functional connectivity in the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) compared with the HC group. The left middle frontal cortex (lower) in the MwoA-DA group demonstrated significantly increased functional connectivity in the left cerebellum lobule VI compared with the HC group. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that the middle frontal cortex may serve as an important target in the frequency and severity of migraines due to its role in pain regulation through the default mode network, especially in the PCC. In addition, the cerebellum may modulate the pathophysiology of migraines by serving as a communication point between the cortex and the brainstem.
Highlights
Migraines are a very common cause for headaches
A generalized decrease in GM volume was observed in MwoA patients in the left middle frontal cortex, and it was correlated with patients’ disease duration. e resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis revealed that the left middle frontal cortex in both the MwoA-DA and the healthy controls (HCs) groups demonstrated significantly increased functional connectivity with the left middle frontal cortex and left superior frontal cortex compared with MwoADI
The left middle frontal cortex in the MwoA-DI group showed decreased functional connectivity with the left posterior cingulate cortex and the right precuneus cortex compared with the HC group
Summary
Migraines are a very common cause for headaches. Yet, the pathophysiology of migraines is still not thoroughly understood [1]. Functional MRI is a noninvasive method widely used to reveal migraine pathophysiology. It can detect brain blood oxygen saturation and the activity of the brain functional area [2, 3]. In rs-FC analysis, the left middle frontal cortex (lower, VBM result) in both the MwoA-DA and the HC groups showed significantly increased functional connectivity with the left middle frontal cortex (upper) and left superior frontal cortex compared with MwoA-DI. E left middle frontal cortex (lower) in the MwoA-DA group demonstrated significantly increased functional connectivity in the left cerebellum lobule VI compared with the HC group. Our results demonstrated that the middle frontal cortex may serve as an important target in the frequency and severity of migraines due to its role in pain regulation through the default mode network, especially in the PCC. The cerebellum may modulate the pathophysiology of migraines by serving as a communication point between the cortex and the brainstem
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