Is migraine associated to brain anatomical alterations? New data and coordinate-based meta-analysis

Rémy Masson (1) , Geneviève Demarquay (1) , David Meunier (1) , Yohana Lévêque (1) , Salem Hannoun (2) , Aurélie Bidet-Caulet (3, 1) , Anne Caclin (1)

1 CRNL - Centre de recherche en neurosciences de Lyon - Lyon Neuroscience Research Center
2 AUB - American University of Beirut [Beyrouth]
3 INS - Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes

A growing number of studies investigate brain anatomy in migraine using voxel-(VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM), as well as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The purpose of this article is to identify consistent patterns of anatomical alterations associated with migraine. First, 19 migraineurs without aura and 19 healthy participants were included in a brain imaging study. T1-weighted MRIs and DTI sequences were acquired and analyzed using VBM, SBM and tract-based spatial statistics. No significant alterations of gray matter (GM) volume, cortical thickness, cortical gyrification, sulcus depth and white-matter tract integrity could be observed. However, migraineurs displayed decreased white matter (WM) volume in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus. Second, a systematic review of the literature employing VBM, SBM and DTI was conducted to investigate brain anatomy in migraine. Meta-analysis was performed using Seed-based d Mapping via permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI) on GM volume, WM volume and cortical thickness data. Alterations of GM volume, WM volume, cortical thickness or white-matter tract integrity were reported in 72%, 50%, 56% and 33% of published studies respectively. Spatial distribution and direction of the disclosed effects were highly inconsistent across studies. The SDM-PSI analysis revealed neither significant decrease nor significant increase of GM volume, WM volume or cortical thickness in migraine. Overall there is to this day no strong evidence of specific brain anatomical alterations reliably associated to migraine. Possible explanations of this conflicting literature are discussed.

Mots clés: migraine; voxel-based morphometry; surface-based morphometry; diffusion tensor imaging; tractbased spatial statistics; coordinate-based meta-analysis

Domaines: Neurosciences

Rémy Masson, Geneviève Demarquay, David Meunier, Yohana Lévêque, Salem Hannoun, et al.. Is migraine associated to brain anatomical alterations? New data and coordinate-based meta-analysis. Brain Topography: a Journal of Cerebral Function and Dynamics, 2021, 34 (3), pp.384-401. ⟨10.1007/s10548-021-00824-6⟩. ⟨hal-03583593⟩