Interictal Abnormalities of Neuromagnetic Gamma Oscillations in Migraine Following Negative Emotional Stimulation.

Ting Wu,Jie Fan,Junpeng Zhang,Jingping Shi,Tianzi Jiang,Donglin Zhu,Yueqiu Chen,Jing Xiang

doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00169

Abstract

Here, we aimed to investigate brain activity in migraineurs in response to emotional stimulation. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to examine 20 patients with episodic migraine (EM group), 15 patients with chronic migraine (CM group), and 35 healthy participants (control group). Neuromagnetic brain activity was elicited by emotional stimulation using photographs of facial expressions. We analyzed the latency and amplitude of M100 and M170 components and used Morlet wavelet and beamformers to analyze the spectral and spatial signatures of MEG signals in gamma band (30–100 Hz). We found that the timing and frequency of MEG activity differed across the three groups in response negative emotional stimuli. First, peak M170 amplitude was significantly lower in the CM group than in the control group. Second, compared with the control group, the average spectral power was significantly lower in the EM group and CM group at M100 and M170. Third, the average spectral powers of the M100 and M170 in the CM group were negatively correlated with either HAM-D scores or migraine attack frequency. No significant differences across groups was found for positive or neutral emotional stimuli. Furthermore, after negative emotional stimuli, the MEG source analysis demonstrated that the CM group showed a significantly higher percentage of amygdala activation than the control group for M100 and M170. Thus, during headache free phases, migraineurs have abnormal brain activity in the gamma band in response to negative emotional stimuli.Trial Registration: ChiCTR-RNC-17012599. Registered 7 September, 2017.

Highlights

Migraine is a common and disabling headache disorder that can be episodic [episodic migraine (EM)] or chronic [chronic migraine (CM)] (Buse et al, 2013; Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache, 2013)
Headache frequency was greater in the CM group than in the EM group (p < 0.01)
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) scores were significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls, but did not differ between the two patient groups

Summary

Introduction

Migraine is a common and disabling headache disorder that can be episodic [episodic migraine (EM)] or chronic [chronic migraine (CM)] (Buse et al, 2013; Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache, 2013). Population-based studies have shown that compared with EM, CM is associated with greater migraine-related disability (Bigal et al, 2003), reduced quality of life, and increased medical and psychiatric comorbidities including depression (Bigal et al, 2003). Previous studies (Yong et al, 2012; Buse et al, 2013) have shown that psychiatric comorbidities, depression and anxiety disorders, might be risk factors for transforming an acute migraine condition into the chronic form. This transformation can increase migraine-related disability and diminish treatment outcomes. Early diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric comorbidity in migraine is very important

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