Laser-evoked potential habituation and central sensitization symptoms in childhood migraine

Abstract

Abnormalities of pain processing and symptoms of central sensitization appear to be characteristics of children with migraine. Reduced habituation and progressive amplification of cortical responses to laser stimuli indicate an overactive nociceptive system at the onset of migraine, and this hyperactivity may subtend allodynia and pericranial tenderness. Future prospective trials may aid in the early identification of clinical phenotypes that display a tendency to develop into the chronic form of migraine, warranting a timely therapeutic approach.

Symptoms of central sensitization and comorbidity for juvenile fibromyalgia in childhood migraine: an observational study in a tertiary headache center

“…In a recent study on pain-related evoked potentials in children with migraine, we observed reduced habituation of the cortical responses to pain, which was correlated with allodynia [16]. This latter symptom was found in almost all patients, suggesting a higher representation in the juvenile migraine than in the adult form [16]. …”

“…The diagnosis of migraine was confirmed on the basis of at least 3 months of observation preceding the first visit. Upon the first visit reservation, the hospital staff gave parents the headache diary and the questionnaire of allodynia in the adult version [10, 16], to be presented during the first clinical approach at our Center (Fig. 1).…”

“…It was evaluated in all cases, in accord with previous studies performed in adult and young patients with headache [8, 11, 16]. …”

“…In those studies, allodynia was retrospectively assessed by the use of simplified questionnaires, which allowed to ascertain that this symptom was present in a large number of migraine children [14]. Other signs of central sensitization, as pericranial tenderness or diffusion of pain symptoms outside the trigemino-cervical districts, as for fibromyalgia comorbidity, were rarely assessed in childhood migraine [15, 16] In addition, children with migraine are frequently characterized by psychopathological traits which may facilitate the chronic evolution [17], though their possible influence on central sensitization symptoms may evolve differently than in adult migraine. In a recent study on pain-related evoked potentials in children with migraine, we observed reduced habituation of the cortical responses to pain, which was correlated with allodynia [16].…”

“…Other signs of central sensitization, as pericranial tenderness or diffusion of pain symptoms outside the trigemino-cervical districts, as for fibromyalgia comorbidity, were rarely assessed in childhood migraine [15, 16] In addition, children with migraine are frequently characterized by psychopathological traits which may facilitate the chronic evolution [17], though their possible influence on central sensitization symptoms may evolve differently than in adult migraine. In a recent study on pain-related evoked potentials in children with migraine, we observed reduced habituation of the cortical responses to pain, which was correlated with allodynia [16]. This latter symptom was found in almost all patients, suggesting a higher representation in the juvenile migraine than in the adult form [16].…”