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Increased default mode network connectivity and increased regional homogeneity in migraineurs without aura

Jilei Zhang, Jing-Jing Su, Mengxing Wang, Ying Zhao, Qian Yao, Qi-Ting Zhang, Haifeng Lu, Hui Zhang, Shuo Wang, Ge-Fei Li, Yi-Lan Wu, Feng-Di Liu, Yan-Hui Shi, Jianqi Li, Jian-Ren Liu, Xiaoxia Du

The Journal of Headache and Pain October 22, 2016 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-016-0692-z (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case-control neuroimaging study Peer reviewed
Sample size 44
Population 22 migraineurs without aura and 22 healthy matched controls
Topics Default mode network
Key findings Migraineurs without aura showed increased functional connectivity in the left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex within the default mode network and increased regional homogeneity in the bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, left pons, and trigeminal nerve entry zone, with decreased connectivity between these abnormal regions and other brain areas. The authors suggest this reflects information transfer and multimodal integration dysfunction that may affect pain sensitivity and pain processing.

Abstract

BackgroundThe precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, which has been associated with pain sensitivity, plays a pivotal role in the default mode network. However, information regarding migraine-related alterations in resting-state brain functional connectivity in the default mode network and in local regional spontaneous neuronal activity is not adequate.MethodsThis study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to acquire resting-state scans in 22 migraineurs without aura and in 22 healthy matched controls. Independent component analysis, a data-driven method, was used to calculate the resting-state functional connectivity of the default mode network in the patient and healthy control groups. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to analyse the local features of spontaneous resting-state brain activity in the migraineurs without aura.ResultsCompared with the healthy controls, migraineurs without aura showed increased functional connectivity in the left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex within the default mode network and significant increase in ReHo values in the bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, left pons and trigeminal nerve entry zone. In addition, functional connectivity was decreased between the areas with abnormal ReHo (using the peaks in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex) and other brain areas.ConclusionsThe abnormalities in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex suggest that migraineurs without aura may exhibit information transfer and multimodal integration dysfunction and that pain sensitivity and pian processing may also be affected.

Comparable studies

Other experimental studies on default mode network, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Functional connectivity of default mode network components: Correlation, anticorrelation, and causality Healthy subjects 2008 Observational study using resting-state fMRI and seed correlation analysis
Patterns of Brain Activity Supporting Autobiographical Memory, Prospection, and Theory of Mind, and Their Relationship to the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects 2009 Experimental study using fMRI
Dynamic reconfiguration of the default mode network during narrative comprehension Human subjects 2016 Experimental study
Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Healthy human participants 2013 Experimental study
The brain on art: intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network Human observers 2012 Observational study with fMRI and behavioral analysis

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