Relationship between the Somatosensory Cortex Morphology, Cutaneous Allodynia, and Clinical Features of Patients with Migraine

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of brain alterations in patients with migraine. Functional and vascular changes in the brain are related to the presence and severity of cutaneous allodynia. However, the association between brain structural changes and cutaneous allodynia has not been yet investigated in patients with migraine. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the severity of cutaneous allodynia, migraine features, and the thickness and volume of the somatosensory cortex. Forty-five patients with migraine, with and without aura and chronic migraine, were included. Volunteers filled out the Allodynia Symptom Questionnaire (ASC-12/Brazil) and were evaluated via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The images were inspected by a blinded neuroradiologist and analyzed with Freesurfer software. Correlation tests and a linear regression model were used to evaluate the relationship among the outcomes. The somatosensory cortex thickness and volume were not different among migraine subgroups (p > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the somatosensory thickness and volume with the ASC-12/Brazil, migraine frequency, intensity, migraine onset or aura frequency. The ASC-12/Brazil score variability cannot be predicted by the somatosensory cortex thickness or volume. The results show that the somatosensory cortex morphology is neither associated with cutaneous allodynia nor with migraine features among migraineurs.

Keywords

• migraine disorders
• cutaneous allodynia
• somatosensory cortex