Fluctuations of sensorimotor processing in migraine: a controlled longitudinal study of beta event related desynchronization

Abstract

Background: The migraine brain seems to undergo cyclic fluctuations of sensory processing. For instance, during the preictal phase, migraineurs experience symptoms and signs of altered pain perception as well as other wellknown premonitory CNS-symptoms. In the present study we measured EEG-activation to non-painful motor and sensorimotor tasks in the different phases of the migraine cycle by longitudinal measurements of beta event related desynchronization (beta-ERD). Methods: We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) of 41 migraine patients and 31 healthy controls. Each subject underwent three EEG recordings on three different days with classification of each EEG recording according to the actual migraine phase. During each recording, subjects performed one motor and one sensorimotor task with the flexion-extension movement of the right wrist. Results: Migraine patients had significantly increased beta-ERD and higher baseline beta power at the contralateral C3 electrode overlying the primary sensorimotor cortex in the preictal phase compared to the interictal phase. We found no significant differences in beta-ERD or baseline beta power between interictal migraineurs and controls. Conclusion: Increased preictal baseline beta activity may reflect a decrease in pre-activation in the sensorimotor cortex. Altered pre-activation may lead to changes in thresholds for inhibitory responses and increased beta-ERD response, possibly reflecting a generally increased preictal cortical responsivity in migraine. Cyclic fluctuations in the activity of second-and third-order afferent somatosensory neurons, and their associated cortical and/or thalamic interneurons, may accordingly also be a central part of the migraine pathophysiology.

Surface-based Map Plasticity of the Sensorimotor Cortex in Hip Disorder at Local and Extensive Levels: A Resting-state fMRI Study

“…There are two complementary pathways related to pain processing: the medial and lateral pain pathways 33 . In the present study, ONFH patients showed functional decline in the primary sensory cortex, which is compatible with the existence of complementary pathway related to pain processing and align with the results of brain function studies in other non-central nervous system diseases with pain 34,35 . Interestingly, both of these pathways involve the insular cortex.…”

Impaired effective functional connectivity of the sensorimotor network in interictal episodic migraineurs without aura

“…However, Wang [8] and Zhao [24] et al reported opposite resting-state neural activity of the bilateral PoCG in migraineurs with all headache subphases by low-frequency oscillations and regional homogeneity approaches to reflect the spontaneous neural function of the brain. In addition, an electroencephalography-related study [25] demonstrated higher desynchronization and power overlying the primary sensorimotor cortex in the preictal phase compared to the interictal phase, with no significant differences between interictal migraineurs and HCs. The heterogeneity of the migraineurs phase and the use of different neuroimaging methods might explain the discrepancy between the studies.…”

Impaired Effective Functional Connectivity of the Sensorimotor Network in Interictal Episodic Migraineurs Without Aura

“…However, Wang [8] and Zhao [24] et al reported opposite resting-state neural activity of the bilateral PoCG in migraineurs with all headache subphases by low-frequency oscillations and regional homogeneity approaches to re ect the spontaneous neural function of the brain. In addition, an electroencephalography-related study [25] demonstrated higher desynchronization and power overlying the primary sensorimotor cortex in the preictal phase compared to the interictal phase, with no signi cant differences between interictal migraineurs and HCs. The heterogeneity of the migraineurs phase and the use of different neuroimaging methods might explain the discrepancy between the studies.…”