The effect of post-traumatic headaches on the brain

Chronic pain is known to alter the structure of the brain. Mayo Clinic researchers used MRI scans to examine brains of 29 patients with post-traumatic headaches and compared their scans to those of 31 age-matched healthy volunteers. The average frequency of headaches was 22 days a month. Patients with post-traumatic headaches were found to have thinning of several areas of their cerebral cortex which are responsible for pain processing in the frontal lobes. Cortex covers the surface of the brain and contains bodies of brain neurons. Drs. Chiang, Schwedt, and Chong, who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the International Headache Society held last month in Vancouver, also discovered that the thinning was correlated with the frequency of headaches.

This study did not address possible treatments, but it would make sense that with better control of headaches, this brain atrophy might be reversible. To treat post-traumatic headaches we often use Botox injections, which have been shown to help posttraumatic headaches. Even though Botox is approved only for chronic migraines, many patients with post-traumatic headaches do have symptoms of migraines and can be diagnosed as having post-traumatic chronic migraines (without such a designation insurance companies may not pay for Botox). We also check RBC magnesium, CoQ10 and other vitamin levels, which are often low in chronic headache sufferers and if corrected, can lead to a significant improvement. Epilepsy drugs and anti-depressants can also help.

While the above mentioned treatments can help headaches and potentially could reverse brain atrophy, there is only one intervention that has been shown to increase the thickness of the brain cortex on the MRI scan. This intervention is meditation. And this effect was demonstrated in several studies. An 8-week course of mindfulness-based stress reduction led to a measurable increase in the gray matter concentration of certain parts of the brain cortex. A pilot study of migraine sufferers showed that meditation has a potential not only to restore thickness of the brain, but also to relieve migraines.

In one of my previous blog posts that described a sceintific study of meditation, I mentioned several ways to learn meditation: Free podcasts by a psychologist Tara Brach an excellent book, Mindfulness in Plain English by B. Gunaratana, and several apps – Headspace, 10% Happier, and Calm. You can also take an individual or a group class, which are widely available.