title: Perivascular spaces and headache: A population-based imaging study (HUNT-MRI).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In four previous clinic-based MRI studies headache sufferers (in particular migraineurs) had more perivascular spaces (PVS) than individuals who were headache-free.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was part of a large longitudinal, epidemiological study (Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey (HUNT)). The 1006 participants, age 50-65 years at inclusion, had participated in all previous HUNT surveys (1-3), and been randomly selected to a population-based imaging study of the head (HUNT-MRI, 2007-2009). The number of visible PVS in the basal ganglia (BG) and hemispheric white matter (HWM) was compared in headache sufferers (migraine with and without aura, non-migrainous headache) and people who were headache-free.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed in general small differences between headache sufferers and headache-free participants. In the cross-sectional analysis migraineurs without aura had fewer PVS than headache-free individuals in BG (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.76--0.94, p value = 0.003) and in BG and HWM together (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.95-1.00, p value = 0.046). No difference between long-term headache sufferers and long-term headache-free individuals with regard to number of PVS was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to previous studies, the present large, blinded, population-based study showed no increase in number of dilated PVS among headache sufferers. Fewer PVS among those with migraine without aura may be a spurious finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway ahusoy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andreas Kattem
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Husøy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway.
authors.forename: Marit Kristina
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Indergaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway.
authors.forename: Lasse-Marius
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Honningsvåg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Department of Medical Imaging, St Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Asta K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Håberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Norwegian National Headache Centre, 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 Norwegian National Headache Centre, St Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Levanger Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gårseth
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Norwegian National Headache Centre, St Olavs University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars Jacob
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stovner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Virchow-Robin spaces; epidemiology; headache; magnetic resonance imaging; migraine; population-based