title: Intracranial abnormalities and headache: A population-based imaging study (HUNT MRI).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most studies on intracranial abnormalities among headache sufferers were performed in selected clinical populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between intracranial abnormalities and headache among middle-aged adults in the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in a large epidemiological study (the HUNT 3 study; 2006-2008) who answered a headache questionnaire and participated in a population-based imaging study of the head (HUNT MRI; 2007-2009) were included (n = 864; age, 50-65 at enrollment). Based on the responses to the HUNT 3 questionnaire, respondents were categorized as having migraine, tension-type headache, or unclassified headache. Logistic regression was used to compare the occurrence of intracranial abnormalities between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intracranial abnormalities were more common in headache sufferers than in headache-free individuals (29% vs. 22%, respectively; p = 0.041). Adjusted multivariate analyses revealed that those with tension-type headache had higher odds of having minor abnormalities (odds ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval = 1.18-3.85). This association disappeared when those with only white matter hyperintensities were removed from the analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Headache sufferers had increased odds of minor intracranial abnormalities. The increased odds were primarily related to the presence of white matter hyperintensities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway lassehon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lasse-Marius
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Honningsvåg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Norwegian Advisory Unit on Headache, St. Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway.
authors.forename: Asta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Håberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Norwegian Advisory Unit on Headache, St. Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars Jacob
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stovner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Norwegian Advisory Unit on Headache, St. Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linde
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway
keywords: Health survey; cerebral infarction; cysts; malformations; migraine; pathology; tension-type headache; unclassified headache; white matter