title: Migraine and cerebral blood flow in the general population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Observations that migraine increases risk of cardiovascular disease and ischemic brain changes may suggest sustained vascular differences between migraineurs and controls. In a population-based setting, we compared cerebral blood flow between migraineurs in the attack-free period and controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2006 and 2008, 2642 participants, aged 45-65, from the Rotterdam Study completed a migraine questionnaire and had complete usable MRI data. Participants were classified into controls (N = 2033), probable migraine (N = 153), or migraine (N = 456). Using 2D phase contrast MRI, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of the effect of migraine on total cerebral blood flow (tCBF), parenchymal cerebral blood flow (pCBF), and blood flow in each intracranial arterial using linear regression. Additionally, we performed stratified analysis of subtypes of migraine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, migraineurs had higher pCBF (1.07 ml/min/100 ml, 95% CI 0.08; 2.05). In particular, migraineurs had significantly higher blood flow in the basilar artery (4.70 ml/min, 95% CI 0.77; 8.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Migraineurs in the attack-free period have higher pCBF, particularly basilar artery flow, compared to controls, supporting the notion of sustained vascular differences between these groups outside of migraine attacks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loehrer
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Meike W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vernooij
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands m.a.ikram@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: M Arfan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ikram
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: MRI; Migraine; cerebral blood flow; epidemiology; parenchymal blood flow; population-based