Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39523760›Full record

SynthesisHeadache2025

Magnetoencephalography studies in migraine and headache disorders: A systematic review.

Raghavan Gopalakrishnan, Nitesh Singh Malan, Nymisha Mandava, Eric J Dunn, Neil Nero, Richard C Burgess, MaryAnn Mays, Olivia Hogue

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Headache, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Raghavan GopalakrishnanCenter for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Nitesh Singh MalanCenter for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Nymisha MandavaCenter for Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Eric J DunnDepartment of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Neil NeroFloyd D. Loop Alumni Library, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Richard C BurgessEpilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
MaryAnn MaysCenter for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Olivia HogueCenter for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Funding

Pain avoidance behavior and its relation to risk for opioid use in chronic pain patientsK01DA050804 · NIDA · CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU · PI GOPALAKRISHNAN, RAGHAVAN · 2020 to 2024
$790k
NIDA NIH HHS K01 DA050804NIDA NIH HHS K01DA050804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnderstanding the neural mechanisms underlying migraine and other primary headache disorders is critical for the development of long-term cures. Magnetoencephalography (MEG), an imaging modality that measures neuronal currents and cortical excitability with high temporal and superior spatial resolution, has been increasingly used in neurological research. Initial MEG studies showed promise in directly recording cortical spreading depression-a cortical correlate of migraine with aura. However, lately MEG technology has highly evolved with greater potential to reveal underlying pathophysiology of migraine and primary headache disorders, and aid in the identification of biomarkers.

objectiveTo systematically review the use of MEG in migraine and other primary headache disorders and summarize findings.

methodsWe conducted a systematic search and selection of MEG studies in migraine and primary headache disorders from inception until June 8, 2023, in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Peer-reviewed English articles reporting the use of MEG for clinical or research purposes in migraine and primary headache disorders were selected.

resultsWe found 560 articles and included 38 in this review after screening. Twelve studies investigated resting-state, while others investigated a sensory modality using an evoked or event-related paradigm with a total of 35 cohort and 3 case studies. Thirty-two studies focused exclusively on migraine, while the rest reported other primary headache disorders.

conclusionThe findings show an evolution of MEG from a 7- to a 306-channel system and analysis evolving from sensor-level evoked responses to more advanced source-level connectivity measures. A relatively few MEG studies portrayed migraine and primary headache disorders as a sensory abnormality, especially of the visual system. We found heterogeneity in the datasets, data reporting standards (due to constantly evolving MEG technology and analysis methods), and patient characteristics. Studies were inadequately powered and there was no evidence of blinding procedures to avoid selection bias in case-control studies, which could have led to false-positive findings. More studies are needed to investigate the affective-cognitive aspects that exacerbate pain and disability in migraine and primary headache disorders.

Indexed as

Headache DisordersMagnetoencephalographyMigraine DisordersHumanselectrophysiologyheadachemagnetoencephalographymigraineneuroimagingneurophysiology

Identifiers

PMID39523760
PMCPMC11794981

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.