A Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Migraine Without Aura in Middle and High Altitude Areas.

OBJECTIVES

This study used resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technology to explore the characteristics of brain functional activity in migraine patients without aura (MwoA) in middle and high altitude areas during interictal periods through two analysis methods, the regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF).

METHODS

This study was a prospective research that included 41 patients with MwoA in the interictal phase, who visited the Department of Neurology at Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital between January 2023 and January 2024. 39 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age and sex were also recruited.

RESULTS

Compared with HCs group, the ALFF values of right superior temporal gyrus and the right hippocampus in MwoA group at mid-to-high altitude were decreased (voxel level p < 0.001, cluster level p < 0.05, Gaussian random field, GRF corrected). The ReHo values of bilateral rectus gyrus and left cerebellum in MwoA group at mid-to-high altitude were significantly increased, while the ReHo values of left cingulate gyrus, bilateral precuneus and bilateral supplementary motor area were significantly decreased (voxel level p < 0.001, cluster level p < 0.05, GRF corrected). The correlation analysis showed that the duration of disease in MwoA group was negatively correlated with the z-ALFF value of the right hippocampus(r = -0.56, p = 0.004, Bonferroni correction). The HIT-6 score was negatively correlated with the z-ALFF value of the right superior temporal gyrus (r = -0.48, p = 0.001, Bonferroni correction). The SDS score was negatively correlated with the bilateral precuneus z-ReHo values (r = -0.42, p = 0.03, L; r = -0.46, p = 0.01, R, Bonferroni correction).

CONCLUSION

Several brain regions in MwoA patients from mid-to-high altitude areas exhibit abnormal spontaneous neural activity through ALFF and ReHo assessments. These brain regions are closely associated with pain processing, cognitive functions, motor control, attention, and emotional regulation. The functional abnormalities in these regions may be relevant to the pathophysiology of MwoA.