Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39902552›Full record

ArticleAnnals of neurology2025

Signs of Cortical Inflammation in Migraine Measured with Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Registry for Migraine (REFORM) Study.

Rune H Christensen, Håkan Ashina, Haidar M Al-Khazali, Mario Ocampo-Pineda, Reza Rahmanzadeh, Nouchine Hadjikhani, Cristina Granziera, Faisal Mohammad Amin, Messoud Ashina

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. 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

9 authors.

Rune H ChristensenDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-3384-3579
Håkan AshinaDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-6268-727X
Haidar M Al-KhazaliDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-7015-3369
Mario Ocampo-PinedaTranslational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2239-7355
Reza RahmanzadehTranslational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Nouchine HadjikhaniGillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Cristina GranzieraTranslational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Faisal Mohammad AminDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Messoud AshinaDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

Lundbeck Foundation R310-2018-3711
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe involvement of cortical inflammation in migraine, particularly migraine with aura, has been a subject of considerable interest, but has proved challenging to demonstrate. We aimed to detect and characterize signs of cortical inflammation in adults with migraine using a novel, multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique.

methodsWe used T2 mapping to measure water content/cellularity, T1 mapping to measure tissue microstructure integrity, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping to measure intra- or extracellular edema. We compared these values between participants with migraine (with and without aura) and healthy controls using general linear models adjusted for age and sex.

resultTwo hundred ninety-six adult participants with migraine and 155 age- and sex-matched healthy controls provided eligible imaging data. Among the participants with migraine, 103 had migraine with aura, 180 chronic migraine, and 88 were ictal during the scan. Participants with migraine had higher quantitative T2 (qT2) in the left occipital cortex than healthy controls (p < 0.0001). In migraine with aura, the higher qT2 was more widespread and located bilaterally in the occipital cortices, compared with controls (left, p < 0.0001; right p = 0.004). Post-hoc analysis revealed overlapping ADC elevations in migraine with aura compared with controls (p = 0.0069).

interpretationQuantitative MRI changes compatible with cortical inflammation were detected in participants with migraine, and appeared driven by the subgroup with aura. Higher occipital qT2 in migraine with aura might represent either extracellular edema or accumulation of inflammatory microglia or astrocytes. These results support the importance of cortical inflammation in migraine pathophysiology, particularly in migraine with aura. ANN NEUROL 2025;97:1168-1179.

Indexed as

Cerebral CortexMagnetic Resonance ImagingMigraine DisordersMigraine with AuraNeuroinflammatory DiseasesAdultFemaleHumansInflammationMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID39902552
PMCPMC12082015

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