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Migraine and white matter hyperintensities

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Abstract

Patients with migraine are at increased risk for white matter hyperintensities detected on magnetic resonance imaging. The presence of nonspecific white matter hyperintensities may cause uncertainty for physicians and anxiety for patients. The pathophysiology and long-term consequences of these lesions are unknown. Occasionally, white matter lesions in a migraineur may indicate an underlying disease such as cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), or central nervous system vasculitis. The ability to distinguish between nonspecific and disease-specific patterns of white matter hyperintensities in migraine sufferers is important for the practicing clinician.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, 1333 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 122, M2J 1V1, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Jonathan P. Gladstone MD

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  1. Alyx Porter MD
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  2. Jonathan P. Gladstone MD
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  3. David W. Dodick MD
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Porter, A., Gladstone, J.P. & Dodick, D.W. Migraine and white matter hyperintensities. Current Science Inc 9, 289–293 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-005-0039-y

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