May | 2024 | Headache NewsBlog

Abnormal functional connectivity in brains of patients with vestibular migraine

By: Dr. Mauskop

27-05-2024

Alternative Therapies, Brain disorders, Chronic migraine, Headaches, Migraine, Migraine in pregnancy, neurostimulation, New treatments, Pain, post-traumatic headache, Science of Migraine

Functional MRI (fMRI) studies have shown that people with migraines have altered functional connectivity and activation patterns in pain-processing brain regions like the insula, thalamus, somatosensory cortex, as well as visual cortex. Some patients also have changes in the default mode and salience networks involved in attention and stimulus processing.

A study published this month by Chinese researchers in the Journal of Headache and Pain reports on connectivity changes in people with vestibular migraines.

They found abnormal resting-state functional connectivity in brain regions involved in multi-sensory and autonomic processing as well as impaired ocular motor control, pain modulation, and emotional regulation.

Until now, there has been little practical application for fMRI findings. However, with the help of Omniscient Neurotechnology, we have just started using fMRI data to better target our treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS applied to motor and visual cortices has been reported to help relieve migraine headaches. We have also found it effective in a significant proportion of patients who did not respond to various other treatments. We have not yet accumulated enough data to determine if fMRI-guided TMS treatment is superior to TMS administered over a predetermined set of targets.

The main obstacle to wider use of TMS in clinical practice is the cost. TMS is approved by the FDA and is covered by insurance for the treatment of anxiety and depression, but not migraines or pain. fMRI is an expensive research tool and is also not covered by insurance. Hopefully, the NIH and other research foundations will provide the funds needed to study this promising treatment.

Our brains are getting bigger, and hopefully, we are getting smarter.

By: Dr. Mauskop

13-05-2024

Brain disorders

The famous Framingham Heart Study, spanning over 80 years from 1902 to 1985, looked at brain volumes across multiple generations of participants. The study analyzed MRI brain scans from 3,226 participants aged 45-74, born between the 1930s and 1970s. It found significant trends of larger brain volumes in several regions for individuals born in more recent decades:

– Intracranial volume, which represents the total brain size, was 6.6% greater in those born in the 1970s compared to the 1930s.

– Cerebral white matter volume, representing connections between brain cells, was 7.7% greater in the 1970s vs. 1930s cohort.

– Hippocampal volume, the area responsible for memory and other functions, was 5.7% larger in the 1970s compared to the 1930s.

– Cortical surface area, which correlates with the number of brain cells, was 14.9% greater in those born in the 1970s vs. 1930s.

The authors suggest these findings likely reflect improvements in early life factors over time, such as better nutrition, education, healthcare, and management of cardiovascular risk factors.

While the increase in brain size for any one individual is small, across entire populations, it can have a meaningful impact. Larger brain volumes are associated with higher cognitive abilities and resilience against degenerative neurological diseases like stroke, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.

So, the gradual increase in brain size over generations, even if subtle, may be contributing to higher average intelligence levels and lower rates of dementia in the population.

EPA in fish oil prevents migraines

By: Dr. Mauskop

05-05-2024

Alternative Therapies, Brain disorders, Chronic migraine, Headaches, Migraine, Science of Migraine

Several studies have suggested that fish oil helps prevent migraine headaches. A new clinical trial by Taiwanese doctors provides the strongest evidence for this effect to date. The paper, “A 12-week randomized double-blind clinical trial of eicosapentaenoic acid intervention in episodic migraine” was published this month in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

Unlike previous studies, this one used a high dose of one of the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. 70 people with episodic migraine participated in a 12-week trial.

One group of 35 people took 2 grams of fish oil daily, which contained 1.8 grams of EPA. The other group of 35 people took a placebo of 2 grams of soybean oil daily. The researchers tracked several measures related to migraine frequency, severity, disability, anxiety/depression, quality of life, and sleep quality before and after the 12 weeks. The results showed that the EPA group did significantly better than the placebo group on multiple measures:

– They had 4.4 fewer monthly migraine days on average compared to 0.6 fewer days in the placebo group.

– They used acute migraine medication 1.3 fewer days compared to 0.1 more days in the placebo group.

– Their headache severity scores improved more than the placebo group.

– Their disability scores related to migraine improved more.

– Their anxiety and depression scores improved more.

– Their migraine-specific quality of life scores improved more.

Notably, women seemed to particularly benefit from taking the high-dose EPA supplement. Overall, the high dose of EPA from fish oil was able to significantly reduce migraine frequency and severity, improve psychological symptoms, and boost the quality of life for these episodic migraine patients over the 12 weeks. No major side effects were seen.

The cheapest and the highest quality product that will give you such a high amount of EPA is a prescription drug, icosapent ethyl (Vascepa). Most insurers will not cover it for migraines but a 60-day supply (120 capsules) will cost you $77, according to GoodRx.com. You do need a doctor to prescribe it to you.