title: Altered processing of sensory stimuli in patients with migraine.
abstract: Migraine is a cyclic disorder, in which functional and morphological brain changes fluctuate over time, culminating periodically in an attack. In the migrainous brain, temporal processing of external stimuli and sequential recruitment of neuronal networks are often dysfunctional. These changes reflect complex CNS dysfunction patterns. Assessment of multimodal evoked potentials and nociceptive reflex responses can reveal altered patterns of the brain's electrophysiological activity, thereby aiding our understanding of the pathophysiology of migraine. In this Review, we summarize the most important findings on temporal processing of evoked and reflex responses in migraine. Considering these data, we propose that thalamocortical dysrhythmia may be responsible for the altered synchronicity in migraine. To test this hypothesis in future research, electrophysiological recordings should be combined with neuroimaging studies so that the temporal patterns of sensory processing in patients with migraine can be correlated with the accompanying anatomical and functional changes.
authors.affiliation: University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Tommaso
authors.affiliation: Headache Clinic, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077 Isernia, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brighina
authors.affiliation: G. B. Bietti Foundation, IRCCS, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.affiliation: Headache Clinic, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077 Isernia, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.affiliation: Headache Clinic, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077 Isernia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pierelli
authors.affiliation: C.Mondino Institute of Neurology Foundation, IRCCS, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sandrini
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valeriani
authors.affiliation: University of Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marinazzo
authors.affiliation: University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stramaglia
authors.affiliation: Liège University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schoenen
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology