title: Nucleus accumbens functional connectivity discriminates medication-overuse headache.
abstract: Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a secondary form of headache related to the overuse of triptans, analgesics and other acute headache medications. It is believed that MOH and substance addiction share some similar pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study we examined the whole brain resting state functional connectivity of the dorsal and ventral striatum in 30 patients (15 MOH and 15 non-MOH patients) to investigate if classification algorithms can successfully discriminate between MOH and non-MOH patients on the basis of the spatial pattern of resting state functional connectivity of the dorsal and ventral striatal region of interest. Our results indicated that both nucleus accumbens and dorsal rostral putamen functional connectivity could discriminate between MOH and non-MOH patients, thereby providing possible support to two interpretations. First, that MOH patients show altered reward functionality in line with drug abusers (alterations in functional connectivity of the nucleus accumbens). Second, that MOH patients show inability to break habitual behavior (alterations in functional connectivity of the dorsal striatum). In conclusion, our data showed that MOH patients were characterized by an altered functional connectivity of motivational circuits at rest. These differences could permit the blind discrimination between the two conditions using classification algorithms. Considered overall, our findings might contribute to the development of novel diagnostic measures.
authors.affiliation: GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, IoNS, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: diana.torta@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Torta
authors.affiliation: GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Rivoli Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Luda
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Rivoli Hospital, Turin, Italy; Neuropsychology Unit, Division of Neurology, Rivoli Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Barisone
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Rivoli Hospital, Turin, Italy; Neuropsychology Unit, Division of Neurology, Rivoli Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.affiliation: GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duca
authors.affiliation: GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geminiani
authors.affiliation: GCS fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cauda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012146:Rest; D055815:Young Adult