Department of Neurological Sciences, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy.
Cephalalgia. 2012 Oct;32(14):1041-8. doi: 10.1177/0333102412457089. Epub 2012 Aug 20.
Converging neuropsychological evidence suggests that in migraine executive functions (EF) may be affected during interictal periods.
To evaluate the functional connectivity of the fronto-parietal networks (FPN) known to be associated with EF, in migraine without aura (MwoA) patients, in the interictal period, in comparison to healthy controls (HC).
Using resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI), we compared functional connectivity within the FPN in 14 patients with MwoA versus 14 sex- and age-matched HC, and assessed the correlation between functional connectivity within FPN, clinical features of MwoA patients, and EF. We used voxel-based morphometry to assess whether between-group differences in functional connectivity were dependent on structural differences.
Neuropsychological data revealed no significant executive dysfunction in MwoA patients. RS-fMRI showed that MwoA patients, compared to HC, had significant functional connectivity reduction within the right FPN and specifically in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, we found that MFG reduced connectivity was negatively correlated with the pain intensity of migraine attacks. There were no structural differences between the two groups.
Our data suggest that, even in the absence of clinically evident EF deficits, MwoA is associated with reduced FPN functional connectivity. This study provides further insights into the complex scenario of migraine mechanisms.
神经心理学研究表明，偏头痛发作间期可能存在执行功能（EF）障碍。
评估无先兆偏头痛（MwoA）患者在发作间期，与执行功能相关的额顶叶网络（FPN）的功能连接情况，并与健康对照组（HC）进行比较。
使用静息态功能磁共振成像（RS-fMRI），我们比较了 14 例 MwoA 患者和 14 例性别和年龄匹配的 HC 之间 FPN 内的功能连接，并评估了 FPN 内功能连接与 MwoA 患者临床特征和 EF 之间的相关性。我们使用基于体素的形态计量学来评估 FPN 内功能连接的组间差异是否取决于结构差异。
神经心理学数据显示 MwoA 患者无明显执行功能障碍。RS-fMRI 显示，与 HC 相比，MwoA 患者右侧 FPN 内，特别是额中回（MFG）和背侧前扣带皮层（dACC）的功能连接明显减少。此外，我们发现 MFG 降低的连接与偏头痛发作的疼痛强度呈负相关。两组之间无结构差异。
我们的数据表明，即使没有明显的临床 EF 缺陷，MwoA 也与 FPN 功能连接减少有关。这项研究为偏头痛发病机制的复杂情况提供了进一步的认识。
