A migraine may change your brain

[BainsBane]

Yet another reason why my brain doesn't work like it used to.

A migraine may change your brain
Some 37 million Americans suffer from migraines, those incredibly painful and often debilitating headaches. While they've been known to knock a person out, migraines weren't thought to permanently affect the brain - until now. A new study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology suggests migraines may indeed leave a mark.

"Our review and meta-analysis study suggests that the disorder may permanently alter brain structure in multiple ways," said study author Dr. Messoud Ashina, a neurologist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. . . .

According to the study, the risk of white matter brain lesions increased 68% for those suffering migraines with aura, compared to non-migraine sufferers. Those who suffered from migraines without aura saw that increased risk cut in half (34%), but they too could get lesions in the part of the brain that is comprised of nerve fibers.

Researchers also found white matter abnormalities are not limited to migraines; they also occur in non-migraine headaches. And people with migraines and migraines with aura were also more likely to have brain volume changes than those who don't suffer from migraines. But what these white matter abnormalities lead to is still unclear. That's why Ashina says more long-term studies are needed.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/28/a-migraine-may-change-your-brain/?sr=fb082913migrainechangebrain5p

[niyad]

1. k and r--thank you for posting this. have several friends who suffer from migraines.

[freeplessinseattle]

2. Fascinating, thanks. I've had migraines most of my life, so has my mom

& I've often joked how it feels like the migraine was stomping around in my head with soccer cleats lol