Tuesday, July 30, 2013

If you are one of the estimated 28 million in the United States or 8 million in the UK who have had a migraine, you might find this study very interesting.

Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania studied 170 people, each of which fell into one of three groups: no headaches, migraines with aura, or migraines without aura (aura are perceptual disturbances). Magnetic resonance angiography and noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging were used to look at blood flow in the brain.

What did they find? There is a ring of arteries at base of the brain called the Circle of Willis. People with migraines, especially migraines with aura, were more likely to be missing parts of this ring. The missing parts leads to changes in blood flow in the brain, which can trigger a migraine. Researchers pointed out that this is something a person is born with.

This abnormality may be one of the contributing factors in migraines in any one individual.

Below is a diagram of the Circle of Willis (A), an image of a normal Circle of Willis (B), and an image of a Circle of Willis missing the anterior communicating artery and the bilateral posterior communicating arteries (C).

Picture courtesy of:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130726191731.htm

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130726191731.htm

http://www.headaches.org/education/Tools_for_Sufferers/Headache_-_Frequently_Asked_Questions

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