Components Of Migraines

Migraines may not be just a different type of headache- they may be the result of a different type of brain.

According to the study published in Neurology, the somatosensory cortex- the part of the brain that helps process sensory information, including pain- is an average of 21 percent thicker in migraine suferers. Repeated migrain attacks may lead to or to be result of, these structural changes, said the study's author Dr. Nouchine Hadjikhani of the Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging at Massachussetts General Hospital in Boston. The long-term overstimulation of the sensory fields in the cortex could explain these changes. It's also possible that people who develop migraines are more sensitive to stimulation.

It was said that the results indicate the brains sensory mechanism are important components in migraine. This may explain why people with migraines often also have other pain disorders, such as back and jaw pain. (Source: RD-June2008)