Gender differences of cognitive function in migraine patients: evidence from event-related potentials using the oddball paradigm.
BACKGROUND
Migraine shows gender-specific incidence and has a higher prevalence in females. Gender plays an important role in the prevalence of migraine, but few studies have investigated the effect of gender on the cognitive functions of migraine patients. This study investigated gender differences in the cognitive function of migraine patients without aura.


METHODS
We recruited 29 migraine patients (15 females; mean age 25.4 y) during the interictal period and 28 healthy age-matched participants (14 females; mean age 24.8 y). We used an auditory oddball paradigm to analyze target processing using event-related potentials.


RESULTS
We investigated the N2 and P3 components. The P3 amplitude was decreased in patients compared with the control, and this reduction was not modulated by gender. These results of the P3 provided a new evidence for the dysfunction of cognitive function in migraine patients. The N2 amplitude was larger for male than female migraine patients, and this gender effect was not found in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results of the P3 provided a new evidence for the dysfunction of cognitive function in migraine patients. And those of N2 may explain that male patients have the super-sensitivity of cerebral function relevant to the early target-selection and response preparation. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering gender when researching the cognitive function of migraine patients.
Rongfei
R
Wang
Zhao
Z
Dong
Xiaoyan
X
Chen
Mingjie
M
Zhang
Fan
F
Yang
Xiaolan
X
Zhang
Weiquan
W
Jia
Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Fuxing Road 28, Haidian District, Beijing 100853, China. yusy1963@126.com.
Shengyuan
S
Yu
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult