title: White matter microstructural alterations in migraine: a diffusion-weighted MRI study.
abstract: Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disease. The pathomechanism that underlies the disorder is not entirely understood, and reliable biomarkers are missing. In the current analysis we looked for microstructural alterations of the brain white matter in migraine patients by means of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The measurements were carried out with a novel approach based on fine-tuned nonlinear registration and nonparametric permutation test in an alignment-invariant tract representation (Tract-Based Spatial Statistics). We found reduced fractional anisotropy in the right frontal white matter cluster of migraine patients. In the same region we also found increased mean diffusivity and increased radial diffusivity. The probabilistic tractography showed connection of this cluster to other parts of the pain network (orbitofrontal cortex, insula, thalamus, dorsal midbrain). We speculate that these findings reflect maladaptive plastic changes or white matter disintegration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary Euromedic Diagnostics Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary Department of Radiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary Department of Neurological Sciences, II Faculty of Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nikoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Zsigmond Tamás
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Kincses
authors.forename: Árpád
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Párdutz
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tajti
authors.forename: Délia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szok
authors.forename: Bernadett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuka
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Király
authors.forename: Magor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babos
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vörös
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bomboi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orzi
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vécsei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult