A shocking scan has revealed the key to solving the puzzle of debilitating migraines.
MRI scans show that people with this painful condition suffer from fluid-filled spaces around blood vessels.
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According to US scientists, this may indicate that these individuals have difficulty flushing out waste from their brains and nervous systems.
A migraine is usually characterised by a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head.
Around This condition is affecting 10 million British people between the ages of 15 and69., which costs the NHS around £400million each year, estimates suggest.
The cost to the wider economy is even higher, with around £4.4billion a year lost to three million migraine-related sick days, according to NHS England.
Wilson Xu of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, US said: “In people with chronic migraine and episodic migraine without aura, there are significant changes in the perivascular spaces of a brain region called the centrum semiovale.
“These changes have never been reported before.”
The exact cause of migraine and excessive perivascular spaces is unknown, but the research suggests that it may be related to brain plumbing issues.
It is the brain’s waste elimination process known as “the Glymphatic systemPerivascular channels are used for transportation.
You may feel like you are in constant pain. Migraines can make your life miserable and cause severe headaches. These are the most frequent symptoms of migraines
Source: NHS England
“The results of our study could help inspire future, larger-scale studies to continue investigating how changes in the brain’s microscopic vessels and blood supply contribute to different migraine types,” Professor Wilson spoke.
“Eventually, this could help us develop new, personalised ways to diagnose and treat migraine.”
The latest study looked at the brains of 25 people aged between 25 and 60 years old.
They were all healthy, and none of them had any mental or cognitive impairments.
Some people had migraines frequently, while others experienced occasional migraines. Other individuals reported not having any symptoms.
The participants were subject to a high resolution scan of their brains, known as a “7T” scan. It produces more detailed images than an MRI.
Research showed that sufferers of migraine had larger perivascular spaces in comparison to those without the condition.
Next week, the results of the study are expected to be presented at the annual meeting
Radiological Society of North America (Chicago, USA).
