Fig. 6.

Contrast analysis of BOLD signals registered in fMRI scans of the human posterior thalamus following innocuous and noxious skin stimuli during migraine attacks that were associated with extracephalic allodynia. (A, C) Pooled statistical maps (n = 8) of responses to stimulation of the back of the hand using heat (A) and brush (C). Activation mapping probabilities are coded as indicated by the color bar at the bottom of C. (B) Drawings of the corresponding coronal planes (numbers in red) traced from Schaltenbrand and Wahren's atlas of the human brain.³¹ (D) A sagittal perspective of the area of interest. Anterior-posterior coordinates (red numbers in B, D) indicate distance in mm from the midpoint (arrow in D) between the anterior and posterior commissures. BOLD signals were pooled according to their ipsilateral/contralateral position in relation to the side of the headache (this normalized orientation is indicated at the top of B). BOLD signals were fitted onto MNI standard brain images, using FSL Linear Registration Tool (FLIRT). Schematic atlas drawings were size-fitted onto the corresponding MNI images to facilitate anatomical localization of BOLD signals. Abbreviations: ac, anterior commissure; cc, corpus callosum; CL, centrolateral thalamic nucleus; CM, centromedian thalamic nucleus; LI, limitans nucleus; LP, lateral posterior thalamic group; MD, mediodorsal thalamic group; pc, posterior commissure; PF, parafascicular thalamic nucleus Pul, pulvinar; VA, ventral anterior thalamic nucleus; VL, ventral lateral posterior thalamic group; VPL, ventral posterior lateral thalamic nucleus.