Migraines Linked with Brain Lesions, Lower Brain Volume

Migraines don't just interfere with daily routine but even permanently change the brain structure, according to a new study.

Migraines are recurring attacks of moderate to severe pain that causes a throbbing or pulsating effect, usually on one side of the head. About 12 percent of the U.S. population suffers from migraines and women are three times more likely than men to suffer from migraines.

Previous research has shown that migraine could lead to brain damage.

In the current study, scientists found that migraines altered the brain volume and raised the risk of lesions. They caused changes in white matter of the brain. Also, the effect of migraines on the brain was much drastic in people who had migraine plus aura.

The study was based on analysis of 19 studies on the subject, 13 of which were clinic-based researches that looked into the MRI scans of people suffering from the condition.

Experts found that risk of brain lesions and white matter abnormality increased by 68 percent in people with migraine plus aura and was about 34 percent in people with only migraine, when compared with people without the condition.

"Traditionally, migraine has been considered a benign disorder without long-term consequences for the brain," said Messoud Ashina, MD, PhD, with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, of the study authors. "Our review and meta-analysis study suggests that the disorder may permanently alter brain structure in multiple ways."

"We hope that through more study, we can clarify the association of brain structure changes to attack frequency and length of the disease. We also want to find out how these lesions may influence brain function," Ashina said in a news release.

The study is published in the journal Neurology.

There is no known cure for migraines. Researchers haven't identified a cause for the painful bouts in people. According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, migraines can be prevented by certain drugs, behavioral and dietary changes.