Cycling multisensory changes in migraine: more than a headache.
Curr Opin Neurol 2022;
35:367-372. [PMID:
35674081 DOI:
10.1097/wco.0000000000001059]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Research on migraine usually focuses on the headache; however, accumulating evidence suggests that migraine not only changes the somatosensory system for nociception (pain), but also the other modalities of perception, such as visual, auditory or tactile sense. More importantly, the multisensory changes exist beyond the headache (ictal) phase of migraine and show cyclic changes, suggesting a central generator driving the multiple sensory changes across different migraine phases. This review summarizes the latest studies that explored the cyclic sensory changes of migraine.
RECENT FINDINGS
Considerable evidence from recent neurophysiological and functional imaging studies suggests that alterations in brain activation start at least 48 h before the migraine headache and outlast the pain itself for 24 h. Several sensory modalities are involved with cyclic changes in sensitivity that peak during the ictal phase.
SUMMARY
In many ways, migraine represents more than just vascular-mediated headaches. Migraine alters the propagation of sensory information long before the headache attack starts.
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