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Chan YM, Pitchaimuthu K, Wu QZ, Carter OL, Egan GF, Badcock DR, McKendrick AM. Relating excitatory and inhibitory neurochemicals to visual perception: A magnetic resonance study of occipital cortex between migraine events. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0208666. [PMID: 31291247 PMCID: PMC6619596 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Certain perceptual measures have been proposed as indirect assays of brain neurochemical status in people with migraine. One such measure is binocular rivalry, however, previous studies have not measured rivalry characteristics and brain neurochemistry together in people with migraine. This study compared spectroscopy-measured levels of GABA and Glx (glutamine and glutamate complex) in visual cortex between 16 people with migraine and 16 non-headache controls, and assessed whether the concentration of these neurochemicals explains, at least partially, inter-individual variability in binocular rivalry perceptual measures. Mean Glx level was significantly reduced in migraineurs relative to controls, whereas mean occipital GABA levels were similar between groups. Neither GABA levels, nor Glx levels correlated with rivalry percept duration. Our results thus suggest that the previously suggested relationship between rivalry percept duration and GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmitter concentration in visual cortex is not strong enough to enable rivalry percept duration to be reliably assumed to be a surrogate for GABA concentration, at least in the context of healthy individuals and those that experience migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Man Chan
- Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kabilan Pitchaimuthu
- Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qi-Zhu Wu
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olivia L. Carter
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary F. Egan
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David R. Badcock
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Allison M. McKendrick
- Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Background Migraine is a common neurological condition that often involves differences in visual processing. These sensory processing differences provide important information about the underlying causes of the condition, and for the development of treatments. Review of psychophysical literature Psychophysical experiments have shown consistent impairments in contrast sensitivity, orientation acuity, and the perception of global form and motion. They have also established that the addition of task-irrelevant visual noise has a greater effect, and that surround suppression, masking and adaptation are all stronger in migraine. Theoretical signal processing model We propose utilising an established model of visual processing, based on signal processing theory, to account for the behavioural differences seen in migraine. This has the advantage of precision and clarity, and generating clear, falsifiable predictions. Conclusion Increased effects of noise and differences in excitation and inhibition can account for the differences in migraine visual perception. Consolidating existing research and creating a unified, defined theoretical account is needed to better understand the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise O'Hare
- School of Psychology, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, UK
| | - Paul B Hibbard
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, UK
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
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Coppola G, Bracaglia M, Di Lenola D, Iacovelli E, Di Lorenzo C, Serrao M, Evangelista M, Parisi V, Schoenen J, Pierelli F. Lateral inhibition in the somatosensory cortex during and between migraine without aura attacks: Correlations with thalamocortical activity and clinical features. Cephalalgia 2015; 36:568-78. [DOI: 10.1177/0333102415610873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background We studied lateral inhibition in the somatosensory cortex of migraineurs during and between attacks, and searched for correlations with thalamocortical activity and clinical features. Participants and methods Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) were obtained by electrical stimulation of the right median (M) or ulnar (U) nerves at the wrist or by simultaneous stimulation of both nerves (MU) in 41 migraine without aura patients, 24 between (MO), 17 during attacks, and in 17 healthy volunteers (HVs). We determined the percentage of lateral inhibition of the N20–P25 component by using the formula [(100)–MU/(M + U)*100]. We also studied high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) reflecting thalamocortical activation. Results In migraine, both lateral inhibition (MO 27.9% vs HVs 40.2%; p = 0.009) and thalamocortical activity (MO 0.5 vs HVs 0.7; p = 0.02) were reduced between attacks, but not during. In MO patients, the percentage of lateral inhibition negatively correlated with days elapsed since the last migraine attack ( r = −0.510, p = 0.01), monthly attack duration ( r = −0.469, p = 0.02) and severity ( r = −0.443, p = 0.03), but positively with thalamocortical activity ( r = −0.463, p = 0.02). Conclusions We hypothesize that abnormal migraine cycle-dependent dynamics of connectivity between subcortical and cortical excitation/inhibition networks may contribute to clinical features of MO and recurrence of attacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Coppola
- G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS, Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Bracaglia
- “Sapienza” University of Rome Polo Pontino Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Italy
| | - Davide Di Lenola
- “Sapienza” University of Rome Polo Pontino Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Italy
| | - Elisa Iacovelli
- “Sapienza” University of Rome Polo Pontino Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Italy
| | | | - Mariano Serrao
- “Sapienza” University of Rome Polo Pontino Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Italy
| | - Maurizio Evangelista
- Istituto di Anestesiologia, Rianimazione e Terapia del Dolore, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore/CIC, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Parisi
- G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS, Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, Rome, Italy
| | - Jean Schoenen
- Headache Research Unit, Department of Neurology-CHR Citadelle, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Francesco Pierelli
- “Sapienza” University of Rome Polo Pontino Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Italy
- INM Neuromed IRCCS, Italy
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Coppola G, Parisi V, Di Lorenzo C, Serrao M, Magis D, Schoenen J, Pierelli F. Lateral inhibition in visual cortex of migraine patients between attacks. J Headache Pain 2013; 14:20. [PMID: 23565983 PMCID: PMC3620512 DOI: 10.1186/1129-2377-14-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2012] [Accepted: 02/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The interictal deficit of habituation to repetitive visual stimuli in migraine patients could be due to deficient intracortical inhibition and/or to low cortical pre-activation levels. Which of these abnormalities contributes more to the habituation deficit cannot be determined with the common methods used to record transient visual responses. We investigated lateral inhibition in the visual cortex during the migraine cycle and in healthy subjects by using differential temporal modulations of radial windmill-dartboard (WD) or partial-windmill (PW) visual patterns. Methods Transient (TR-VEP) and steady-state visual-evoked potentials (SS-VEP) were recorded in 65 migraine patients (21 without and 22 with aura between attacks; 22 patients during an attack) and in 21 healthy volunteers (HV). Three stimulations were used in each subject: classic checkerboard pattern (contrast-reversion 3.1Hz), WD and PW (contrast-reversion ~4Hz). For each randomly presented stimulation protocol, 600 sweeps were acquired and off-line partitioned in 6 blocks of 100. Fourier analysis allowed data to extract in SS-VEP the fundamental (1H) and the second harmonic (2H) components that reflect respectively short-(WD) and long- range lateral inhibition (attenuation of 2H in WD compared to PW). Results Compared to HV, migraineurs recorded interictally had significantly less habituation of the N1-P1 TR-VEP component over subsequent blocks and they tended to have a smaller 1st block amplitude. 1H amplitude in the 1st block of WD SS-VEP was significantly greater than in HV and habituated in successive blocks, contrasting with an amplitude increase in HV. Both the interictal TR-VEP and SS-VEP abnormalities normalized during an attack. There was no significant between group difference in the PW 2H amplitude and its attenuation. When data of HV and migraine patients were combined, the habituation slope of WD-VEP 1H was negatively correlated with that of TR-VEP N1-P1 and with number of days since the last migraine attack. Conclusion These results are in favour of a migraine cycle-dependent imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the visual cortex. We hypothesize that an interictal hypoactivity of monaminergic pathways may cause a functional disconnection of the thalamus in migraine leading to an abnormal intracortical short-range lateral inhibition that could contribute to the habituation deficit observed during stimulus repetition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Coppola
- Departmen of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neuroophtalmology, G,B, Bietti Foundation IRCCS, Via Livenza 3-00198, Rome, Italy.
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Webster KE, Dickinson JE, Battista J, McKendrick AM, Badcock DR. Evidence for increased internal noise in migraineurs for contrast and shape processing. Cephalalgia 2011; 32:125-39. [DOI: 10.1177/0333102411432725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Aim: Increased contrast-level dependent internal noise has been reported in migraine. This study aimed to investigate whether a general increase in internal noise impacted on other tasks thought to assess functioning in cortical area V1 and was evident in global contour coding (V4). Methods: Eleven migraineurs (six with aura) and 12 headache-free controls completed three psychophysical tasks: (i) contrast detection, (ii) discrimination of the angle of a spiral path and (iii) detection of deformation from circularity. Internal noise estimates were obtained using an N-pass method that compared responses to repeated presentations of identical stimuli. Internal noise results in inconsistent responses across different runs. Results: Migraineurs had significantly higher contrast thresholds when there was high external luminance noise. There were no other significant group differences in thresholds. Increased multiplicative noise associated with contrast processing was replicated and increased additive noise, which is independent of the visual input, was found for the global form task. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence for increased multiplicative internal noise associated with contrast processing in migraineurs. However there is no generalised increase in internal noise in V1 as noise estimates for angular discrimination were normal. Increased additive internal noise was associated with the global shape task, co-occurring with increased efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - David R Badcock
- School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Australia
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Mohr HM, Linder NS, Dennis H, Sireteanu R. Orientation-specific aftereffects to mentally generated lines. Perception 2011; 40:272-90. [PMID: 21692419 DOI: 10.1068/p6781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
After staring at a pattern of tilted lines, subsequent lines appear to be tilted in the opposite direction (direct tilt aftereffect, TAE). In a previous fMRI study we have demonstrated a direct TAE solely induced by the mental imagination accompanied by adaptation of orientation-selective neurons located in the extrastriate cortex, supporting the assumption of a perception-like coding of mental images. In this study we enlarge and specify the evidence for a perception-like coding of orientation-imagination. First, we replicated the previously detected direct TAE induced by line imagination with altered design-variations to control possible perceptual task confounds. Second, we tried to induce two other orientation-specific aftereffects: indirect TAE and contrast-threshold elevation aftereffect by mental imagery. The results replicate a robust direct TAE by mental imagery and by visual stimulation, with no influence of attentional resource allocation or perceptual task confounds. We could not induce an indirect TAE, but observed a perception bias in the opposite direction of the indirect TAE. The mental imagery of lines induced no orientation-selective contrast-threshold elevation aftereffect. In general, mental imagery seems to influence visual perception, indicating that perceptual resources are used by mental imagery. However, the utilisation of visual resources seems to be somewhat different from utilisation by perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald M Mohr
- Department of Biological Psychology, Institute for Psychology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Mertonstrasse 17, 60054 Frankfurt, Germany
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Abstract
Background: In visual metacontrast masking, the visibility of a brief target stimulus can be reduced substantially if it is preceded (forward masking) or followed (backward masking) by a non-overlapping mask. These effects have been attributed to inhibitory processes within the visual system. Two previous studies have used metacontrast masking to assess inhibitory function in migraine and control groups, however, each used different types of masking and obtained different results. Subjects and Methods: Forward, backward and combined forward and backward masking were compared in migraine (15 with visual aura, 15 without) and control ( n = 15) groups. Baseline trials were also included (target only). Results: For all types of masking, both migraine groups were more accurate than the control group. When performance for the masking trials was expressed relative to baseline, however, there were no significant group differences. Performance in certain conditions nevertheless correlated significantly with migraine frequency and with the recency of the last attack. Conclusions: The inhibitory processes involved in the masking tasks employed in this study do not appear to be impaired in migraine. Their better overall performance may reflect a sensitivity difference, perhaps as a consequence of a heightened neuronal response, which varies with the migraine cycle.
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Abstract
Migraine is a very common disorder occurring in 20% of women and 6% of men. Central neuronal hyperexcitability is proposed to be the putative basis for the physiological disturbances in migraine. Since there are no consistent structural disturbances in migraine, physiological and psychophysical studies have provided insight into the underlying mechanisms. This is a review of the neurophysiological studies which have provided an insight to migraine pathogenesis supporting the theory of hyperexcitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Aurora
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada.
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Chadaide Z, Arlt S, Antal A, Nitsche MA, Lang N, Paulus W. Transcranial direct current stimulation reveals inhibitory deficiency in migraine. Cephalalgia 2007; 27:833-9. [PMID: 17498207 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01337.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The issue of interictal excitability of cortical neurons in migraine patients is controversial: some studies have reported hypo-, others hyperexcitability. The aim of the present study was to observe the dynamics of this basic interictal state by further modulating the excitability level of the visual cortex using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in migraineurs with and without aura. In healthy subjects anodal tDCS decreases, cathodal stimulation increases transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-elicited phosphene thresholds (PT), which is suggested as a representative value of visual cortex excitability. Compared with healthy controls, migraine patients tended to show lower baseline PT values, but this decrease failed to reach statistical significance. Anodal stimulation decreased phosphene threshold in migraineurs similarly to controls, having a larger effect in migraineurs with aura. Cathodal stimulation had no significant effect in the patient groups. This result strengthens the notion of deficient inhibitory processes in the cortex of migraineurs, which is selectively revealed by activity-modulating cortical input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Chadaide
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany
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Granziera C, DaSilva AFM, Snyder J, Tuch DS, Hadjikhani N. Anatomical alterations of the visual motion processing network in migraine with and without aura. PLoS Med 2006; 3:e402. [PMID: 17048979 PMCID: PMC1609120 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2006] [Accepted: 07/31/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients suffering from migraine with aura (MWA) and migraine without aura (MWoA) show abnormalities in visual motion perception during and between attacks. Whether this represents the consequences of structural changes in motion-processing networks in migraineurs is unknown. Moreover, the diagnosis of migraine relies on patient's history, and finding differences in the brain of migraineurs might help to contribute to basic research aimed at better understanding the pathophysiology of migraine. METHODS AND FINDINGS To investigate a common potential anatomical basis for these disturbances, we used high-resolution cortical thickness measurement and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the motion-processing network in 24 migraine patients (12 with MWA and 12 MWoA) and 15 age-matched healthy controls (HCs). We found increased cortical thickness of motion-processing visual areas MT+ and V3A in migraineurs compared to HCs. Cortical thickness increases were accompanied by abnormalities of the subjacent white matter. In addition, DTI revealed that migraineurs have alterations in superior colliculus and the lateral geniculate nucleus, which are also involved in visual processing. CONCLUSIONS A structural abnormality in the network of motion-processing areas could account for, or be the result of, the cortical hyperexcitability observed in migraineurs. The finding in patients with both MWA and MWoA of thickness abnormalities in area V3A, previously described as a source in spreading changes involved in visual aura, raises the question as to whether a "silent" cortical spreading depression develops as well in MWoA. In addition, these experimental data may provide clinicians and researchers with a noninvasively acquirable migraine biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Granziera
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alexandre F. M DaSilva
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Josh Snyder
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David S Tuch
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nouchine Hadjikhani
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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