title: Central sensitization in photophobic and non-photophobic migraineurs: possible role of retino nuclear way in the central sensitization process.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible relationships between the presence of headache-related photophobia and migraine-associated allodynia--a hallmark of central sensitization--among patients with different migraine types. A sample of 456 migraineurs was studied. Our results showed that photophobia was present in a high proportion of patients, with similar figures in patients with episodic migraine or CM, and confirmed that the prevalence of allodynia was higher among CM patients than in those with episodic migraine. We found a clear association between migraine-related allodynia and photophobia only in CM patients. Overall, these findings suggest that light stimulation may contribute to central sensitization of pain pathways in migraineurs, possibly contributing to progression into chronic forms. The possible connections underlying this type of sensitization is offered by the recently published data on a non-image-forming visual retino-thalamo-cortical pathway which may allow photic signals to converge on a thalamic region which is selectively activated during migraine headache.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Neurology, Department of Neurology, Headache Unit, A.O. Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Via G.B Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy. lovati.carlo@hsacco.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lovati
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Angeli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capiluppi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bussone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D059333:Central Nervous System Sensitization / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020795:Photophobia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*