Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation

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 function, particularly in brainstem sites, may either trigger a migraine or facilit...

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Main Authors: Meylakh, N., Marciszewski, K.K., Di Pietro, Flavia, Macefield, V.G., Macey, P.M., Henderson, L.A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1032072
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/84865
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author Meylakh, N.
Marciszewski, K.K.
Di Pietro, Flavia
Macefield, V.G.
Macey, P.M.
Henderson, L.A.
author_facet Meylakh, N.
Marciszewski, K.K.
Di Pietro, Flavia
Macefield, V.G.
Macey, P.M.
Henderson, L.A.
author_sort Meylakh, N.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description 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 function, particularly in brainstem sites, may either trigger a migraine or facilitate a peripheral trigger that activates the brain, resulting in pain. The aim of this longitudinal study is therefore to expand on the above findings, and to determine if brainstem function oscillates over a migraine cycle in individual subjects. We performed resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in three migraineurs and five controls each weekday for four weeks. We found that although resting activity variability was similar in controls and interictal migraineurs, brainstem variability increased dramatically during the 24-hour period preceding a migraine. This increase occurred in brainstem areas in which orofacial afferents terminate: the spinal trigeminal nucleus and dorsal pons. These increases were characterized by increased power at infra-slow frequencies, principally between 0.03 and 0.06 Hz. Furthermore, these power increases were associated with increased regional homogeneity, a measure of local signal coherence. The results show within-individual alterations in brain activity immediately preceding migraine onset and support the hypothesis that altered regional brainstem function before a migraine attack is involved in underlying migraine neurobiology.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-848652021-08-13T05:01:00Z Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation Meylakh, N. Marciszewski, K.K. Di Pietro, Flavia Macefield, V.G. Macey, P.M. Henderson, L.A. Astrocytes Dorsal pons Infra-slow oscillations Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging Spinal trigeminal nucleus 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 function, particularly in brainstem sites, may either trigger a migraine or facilitate a peripheral trigger that activates the brain, resulting in pain. The aim of this longitudinal study is therefore to expand on the above findings, and to determine if brainstem function oscillates over a migraine cycle in individual subjects. We performed resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in three migraineurs and five controls each weekday for four weeks. We found that although resting activity variability was similar in controls and interictal migraineurs, brainstem variability increased dramatically during the 24-hour period preceding a migraine. This increase occurred in brainstem areas in which orofacial afferents terminate: the spinal trigeminal nucleus and dorsal pons. These increases were characterized by increased power at infra-slow frequencies, principally between 0.03 and 0.06 Hz. Furthermore, these power increases were associated with increased regional homogeneity, a measure of local signal coherence. The results show within-individual alterations in brain activity immediately preceding migraine onset and support the hypothesis that altered regional brainstem function before a migraine attack is involved in underlying migraine neurobiology. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/84865 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102630 eng http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1032072 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1059182 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle Astrocytes
Dorsal pons
Infra-slow oscillations
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging
Spinal trigeminal nucleus
Meylakh, N.
Marciszewski, K.K.
Di Pietro, Flavia
Macefield, V.G.
Macey, P.M.
Henderson, L.A.
Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title_full Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title_fullStr Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title_full_unstemmed Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title_short Brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: A longitudinal investigation
title_sort brainstem functional oscillations across the migraine cycle: a longitudinal investigation
topic Astrocytes
Dorsal pons
Infra-slow oscillations
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging
Spinal trigeminal nucleus
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1032072
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1032072
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/84865