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Findings

What does this study add?

  • Significant positive functional coupling was found between the thalami bilaterally and the right precuneus and cuneus regions during the nitroglycerin-triggered premonitory phase (T=3.23, peak connectivity change at [-6, -68, 40] for left thalamus, P=0.012 and [-4, -68, 40] for right thalamus, P=0.019).
  • The nitroglycerin-triggered premonitory phase was associated with a change in the direction of connectivity from positive to negative between the pons and the limbic lobe (T=3.47, peak connectivity change at [2, 8, 50], P< 0.001).
  • The headache phase of the nitroglycerin-triggered migraine attack was associated with ongoing negative functional coupling between the pons and the cingulate and frontal cortices, and positive functional coupling between the pons and  the spinal trigeminal nucleus (T=3.47, peak connectivity change at [-8, -52, -58], P=0.007).

Figure: Functional reorganisation of brain networks during different phases of a migraine attack.2