When compared to people who do not have this neurological disorder, people who suffer from migraines may have some visible brain abnormalities, according to the findings of limited research. Migraine refers to a neurological illness that affects around 39 million individuals in the United States. Although the term “migraine” is frequently used as a shorthand for a severe headache, the term “migraine” was coined in the 1980s.
Imaging studies and other types of research have led researchers to hypothesize that the “migraine brain” may have some structures and functions that are slightly different from those of the “typical” brain. The cause of migraine headaches and other typical migraine symptoms, such as migraine aura and sensitivity to light, may one day be better-understood thanks to research that is both more conclusive and comprehensive.
Even though it’s too soon to draw any conclusions from the research that’s been done so far, it’s possible that migraines are linked to relatively slight injuries to the tissue of the brain. The significance of creating novel treatments for migraines as well as preventative measures cannot be overstated in light of this possibility.
Migraine sufferers’ brains are different
Researchers are gaining a better understanding of how migraines originate and how the condition alters the structure and function of the brain over the course of an individual’s lifetime thanks to studies that use cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Cortical thickness
The cortex is the outermost layer of the cerebrum, the brain’s primary processing center. The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe of the brain processes pain and other feelings.
Migraine sufferers tend to be thicker than non-sufferers. This breakthrough could also shed light on the often-overlapping nature of migraines and other symptoms, such as jaw or neck pain.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain that controls several physiological processes, such as waking and sleeping cycles, appetite, libido, blood pressure, and body temperature.
In 2020, researchers found evidence that the hypothalamus-brainstem network contributes to migraines. The research suggests that the hypothalamus is at the root of migraine headaches since it was found to be more active during the headache phase of episodic migraine. Migraine chronification, the progression from episodic to chronic migraine, may include other regions of the hypothalamus.
Pain network
The pain network of the brain, often referred to as the pain matrix, is comprised of a number of different parts of the brain, such as the thalamus, the anterior cingulate cortex, the basal ganglia, and the prefrontal cortices.
Persons who suffer from migraines may have less connection and increased segregation within the regions of the pain network when compared to people who do not suffer from migraines.
Perivascular spaces
The brain contains a network of fluid-filled passages called perivascular spaces. These spaces are involved in fluid control and drainage. Concerning the role that these spaces play in neurologic illnesses, inflammatory processes, and cardiovascular diseases, there are a lot of concerns that have yet to be resolved. However, experts believe that maintaining the regular function of the perivascular gaps is essential to maintaining healthy brain function.
Pons
The pons is a structure of the brainstem that mediates between the brain and the spinal cord. Sleep and respiration are just two of the many unconscious brain processes controlled by the pons. Migraine sufferers were shown to have reduced functional connectivity between the posterior pons and the left superior parietal lobe, the left temporal gyrus, and the left middle frontal gyrus, according to a 2019 study of 64 people. The researchers couldn’t pinpoint why this difference existed, but they did propose that difficulty processing pain might contribute to migraines.
The neurological processes underlying migraine aura
If a person has a migraine headache with an aura, it indicates that in addition to experiencing intense pain, they may also have other symptoms such as seeing flashes of light, feeling tingling in their limbs, or other sensations.
It is not completely understood how or why an aura can sometimes accompany a migraine headache; however, one idea explains how and why this can happen. A malfunction among neurons in the cerebral cortex may be the root cause of a wide variety of aberrant sensory responses.
Can brain damage occur from having a migraine?
Recent studies, notably one published in 2021 in the American Journal of Pathology, have linked migraines with an increased risk of white matter brain lesions. The term “white matter” is used to describe the extensive network of nerve fibers that links neurons in different parts of the brain. These tissue damages, or lesions, could cause functional impairments in the body or mind.
Insights
More study is required to determine whether or not the migraine sufferer’s brain differs significantly from that of a person who does not suffer from a neurological illness. Migraineurs may have cognitive difficulties that others do not experience because of structural and functional brain variations, such as less white matter or increased cortical thickness. Researchers have a long way to go in understanding migraine, but the more they learn about its origins and evolution, the more likely it is that effective treatments will emerge.