The Migraine Brain: Imaging Structure and Functionedited by BorsookDavid, MayArne, GoadsbyPeter J.and HargreavesRichard, 384pp., Oxford University Press, 2012, $145.

Abstract

edited by David Borsook, Arne May, Peter J. Goadsby, and Richard Hargreaves, 384pp., Oxford University Press, 2012, $145. The Migraine Brain is an expertly authored and edited compendium of insights into human migraine pathophysiology. While the focus is on neuroimaging, there is an appropriate homage to other research perspectives from both animal models and genetic studies. Part 1 is a single-chapter historical perspective on migraine from antiquity through selected 20th century observations. Part 2 provides a concise pathophysiologic review of selected clinical observations, including proposed mechanisms of photophobia, allodynia, and the transition from episodic to chronic headache. Part 3 is labeled a clinical perspective, consisting of somewhat disjointed chapters ranging from a review of migraine prophylactic treatments to a review of the literature on iron accumulation in the migraine brain. Highlights of this section include timely clinical perspectives on both neuroimaging and genetic testing. Part 4 constitutes the heart of the text, with individual chapters devoted to reviews of both interictal and ictal imaging findings as organized by technique. Part 5 concludes the book with perspectives on future directions of neuroimaging research.