Table 1.
Summary of MRS in migraine including migraine phenotype, methodology, and main findings.
| Nuclei | Migraine Phenotype* | TR [ms]/TE[ms] | Field Strength [T] | Number of Controls | Number of Patients | Voxel Location | Sequence | Software | Main Findings | Year | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1H | M | 1800/68 | 3 | 19 | 19 | Posterior Cigulate Cortex (PCC) | MEGA-PRESS | Gannet | Increased GABA+ (p = 0.002) in migraine patients (median, 1.41 institutional units (IU); interquartile range, 1.31–1.50 IU) relative to controls (median, 1.18 IU; interquartile range, 1.12–1.35 IU). Results give optimal GABA + cut-off value for migraine of 1.30 IU, with a sensitivity of 84.2 %, specificity of 68.4 % and positive likelihood ratio of + 2.67. The study demonstrates thatGABA + concentration has good diagnostic accuracy for migraine. | 2015 | Aguila, M.E., et al. |
| 1H | M | 1800/68 | not reported | 20 | 20 | PCC | MEGA-PRESS | Gannet | Positive association between GABA levels in the posterior cingulate of individuals with migraine and pain scores, specifically total short form McGill Pain Questionaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2) scores (ρ = 0.47; P = 0.04) and SF-MPQ-2 scores on intermittent (τ = 0.33; P = 0.04), neuropathic (τ = 0.37; P = 0.03), and affective (ρ = 0.49; P = 0.03) pain subscales. Positive association between GABA levels and Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) scores (ρ = 0.48; P = 0.03). CSI was shown to have good diagnostic accuracy for migraine prediction. | 2016 | Aguila, M.R., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 6000/30 | 3 | 17 | 17 | WMH, contralateral | PRESS | LCModel | Decrease of NAA and Cr in the WMH + migraine voxels compared to WMH − migraine (NAA, P = 0.031, Cr, P = 0.001) and healthy controls (NAA P = 0.016, Cr P = 0 0.002). No statistical difference among the 3 voxel groups for Glx, Cho, Cr, mI. No Lac was present. | 2013 | Aradi, M., et al., |
| 1H | MwA | 5000/36.5 | 3 | 14 | 15 | visual cortex | PRESS | LCModel | In patients, increased Lac was observed during hypoxia of 61 % (CI 13–108 %), and during sham of 7 % (CI–21–35 %), p = 0.028. No changes in glutamate concentration and other metabolites (NAA, tCr) were reported in migraine patients realative to sham. There were no changes in any of the metabolites between controls and patients at 180 min (p > 0.05) or at 240 min (p > 0.05). | 2016 | Arngrim, N., et al. |
| 31P | M | 5000/(N/A) | 1.5 | 15 | 8 | occipital | DRESS | Gencap | Reduced phosphocreatine to inorganic phosphate ratio (PCr/P) in all patients, ranging from 1.75 to 2.48 with 3.57(0.27) in healthy controls. PCr/ATP ratio was reduced in five patients and borderline in other three wrt control average of 1.25(0.12). | 1990 | Barbiroli, B., et al. |
| 31P | MwA, MwoA | 5000/(N/A) | 1.5 | N/A | MwA 12 MwoA 4 |
occipital | DRESS | Gencap | Lower PCr (3.73 (0.30)) in patients vs 4.47 (0.27) in controls, and increased ADP in all patients (37 (6.5)) vs 28.9(2.51) for controls. | 1992 | Barbiroli, B., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 2000/30 | 3 | 15 | 15 | occipital/thalamus | MEGA PRESS | LCModel | Increased GLX levels in both the primary occipital cortex (z = 2.08, p = 0.038) and thalamus (z = 2.54, p = 0.011). No group differences were observed in GABA/tCr, NAA/tCr and Cr/H20 for these two regions. No significant correlations between pain intensity and levels of GLX or GABA in either of the two brain regions. | 2018 | Bathel A, et al. |
| 1H | EM | 2000/(31–229) | 3 | 33 | 32 | anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) | 2D MRS modified j-resolved PRESS | ProFit | No significant differences for Cr normalized metabolite levels. Reduction in Asp/Cr, NAA/Cr, and Gln/Cr reported in ACC in the migraine cohort (not statistically significant). | 2016 | Becerra, L., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 1800/80 | 3 | 31 | 25 (pediatric) MwA = 9, MwoA = 15 | thalamus, visual cortex, sensorimotor cortex | MEGA PRESS | Gannet | No significant differences reported in Glx (F(1, 51) = 0.241, P = 0.626), Glu (F(1, 51) = 0.001, P = 0.974), or GABA (F(1, 49) = 0.431, P = 0.515) levels in the thalamus between migraine and control groups. No significant differences in any of the metabolites in the sensorimotor cortex (Glx: F(1, 50) = 0.870, P = 0.356; Glu: F(1, 50) = 1.047, P = 0.311; GABA: F(1, 49) = 0.927, P = 0.340; GABA/Glx: F(1, 47) = 1.258, P = 0.268. There were no significant differences in Glx (F(1, 48) = 1.989, P = 0.165), Glu (F(1, 48) = 2.812, P = 0.100), GABA F(1, 48) = 0.264 in the visual cortex between migraine patients and controls. Levels of Glu were significantly lower in migraine with aura (P = 0.022) compared to controls. |
2021 | Bell, T., et al |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 2000/72 | 4 | 9 | 19, 9 MwA and 10 MwA | occipital | 3D LASER | 3D FT custom | GABA levels are not significantly different in migraineurs and controls, or in migraine with or without aura. There were no significant differences in GABA (F(2, 46) = 0.458, P = 0.635), Glx (F(2, 46) = 2.798, P = 0.071), or GABA/Glx ratios (F(2, 45) = 1.024, P = 0.367) in the visual cortex between the 3 groups (MwA, MwoA and controls) | 2008 | Bigal, M.E., et al. |
| 31P | MwA, MwoA, HM | 1000/(N/A) | 3 | 40 | 46 (19MwA, 19MwoA, 8 HM) | posterior lower slice (calcarine cortex, temporal gyri, occipital gyri); anterior center slice (frontal gyri, frontal forceps, genu of corpus callosum); posterior center slice (occipital cortex association regions with some of the calcarine cortex); and occipital cortex | 3D CSI | SPARC 20 | Pronounced changes observed in hemiplegic migraine patients. Significantly decreased [Mg2+] in patients relative to control subjects in posterior but not anterior brain regions. A trend toward decreased [PCr] reported in the occipital cortex. No significant changes found in [PME], [PDE], or [Pi] in these regions. No significant metabolite changes were found in MwoA and MwA patients. | 2002 | Boska, M.D., et al. |
| 1H | MwA | 4000/8.5 | 3 | 13 | 13 | occipital | SPECIAL | LCModel | Reduced occipital GABA levels (by 10 %) in migraine patients relative to controls (t = 1.8, p = 0.042). No changes in glutamate levels between patients and controls (t = 0.85, p = -0.41). Glutamate levels in migraine patients correlated with the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the primary visual cortex during visual stimulation. | 2015 | Bridge H., rt al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 1500/68 | 3 | 16 | 16 (9 MwA, 7 MwoA) | occipital | MEGA PRESS | Gannet | Decreased Glx in migraineurs relative to controls (Controls: 1.90 ± 0.27iu, Migraineurs:1.61 ± 0.12iu; Welch’s t (20.94) = 4.04, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.42, , resulting in a significantly higher GABA/Glx ratio in the migraine cohort (Controls: 1.78 ± 0.36iu, Migraineurs: 2.14 ± 0.19iu; Welch’s t(22.78) = 3.54, p = 0.002; Cohen’s d = 1.25, . No change in occipital GABA levels between groups (mean ± sd: Controls: 3.31 ± 0.32iu, Migraineurs: 3.42 ± 0.24iu; t-test: t(30) = 1.12, p = 0.27; Cohen’s d = 0.39, . Neither GABA levels, nor Glx levels correlated with rivalry percept duration data. | 2019 | Chan YM, et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 2000/144 | 1.5 | 16 | 15 | occipital lobe | PRESS | JMRUI | Significant reduction of NAA/Cr ratio in patient group relative to control group (p = 0.0001). Increased Cho/Cr (0.671 controls, 1.159 patients, p = 0.000*) and mI/NAA in the patient group (p = 0.004). The Cho/Cr ratio significantly correlated with disease duration (r = 0.686, p < 0.001) and number of disease attacks (r = 0.758, p < 0.001). No significant relationship between Increased duration of illness and frequency of attack with mI/NAA ratio (r = 0.125, p = 0.569). | 2020 | Dehghan, A., et al. |
| 1H | HM | 2000/35 | 1.5 | 17 | 15 | SCV, visual, parietal | PRESS | LCModel | Significant disease effect for metabolite concentrations (reduction of NAA, Glu and increase in mI) in the superior cerebeller vermis (Wilks λ = 0.395, F = 7.036, df = 5.000, p < 0.001). No significant effects in the visual cortex (Wilks λ = 0.858, F = 0.759, df = 5.000, p = 0.588) and in the parietal cortex (Wilks λ = 0.816, F = 0.991, df = 5.000, p = 0.446). | 2005 | Dichgans, M., et al. |
| 1H | VM | TR not provided, TE = 135 | 1.5 | 20 | 25 | occipital lobe | long echo time MRS | not specified | Lactate peaks detected in occipital lobes of patients. Lactate correlates with presence of non paroxysmal positional nystagmus. | 2020 | ElSherif, M., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 6000/30 | 3 | N/A | 17 (10 MwA, 7 MwoA) | WMH, contralateral | PRESS | LCModel | Significantly decreased NAA (median values 8.133 vs 7.153 mmol/L, P = 0.009) and creatine/phosphocreatine (median values 4.970 vs 4.641 mmol/L, P = 0.015) concentrations were reported compared to baseline, indicative of axonal loss and glial hypocellularity with decreased intracellular energy production. |
2015 | Erdelyi-Botor, S., et al. |
| 1H | M, Pain and cognitive impairment | 2000/35 | 1.5 | 193 | 207 (33 with Migraine) | PCC | PRESS | LCModel | Significantly lower NAA (P = 0.003) and NAA/Cr (P = 0.015) in migraine group relative to controls. Significantly greater Glx (glutamate + glutamine) (P < 0.001) and Glx/Cr (P < 0.000) in patients relative to controls. Glu, Glx, NAA, and their Cr ratios exhibited a negative correlation with age, whereas ml and Cho exhibited a positive correlation with age. | 2014 | Fayed, N., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 2500/66 | 3 | 19 | 27 | paracingulate and occipital cortices | PRESS | LCModel | Higher Glu/Gln ratio was reported in the occipital cortex of migraine patients compared with healthy control subjects (4.87 for migraineurs -standard deviation (SD) = 2.74 and 3.42 for controls (SD = 1.52, P = 0.042). The authors observed elevated Glu levels (6.98 for migraineurs (SD = 0.85) and 6.22 for controls (SD = 0.97, P = 0.007), and higher Glu/Cr + PCr ratio (1.18 for migraineurs (SD = 0.18) and 1.00 for controls (SD = 0.16, P = 0.001) in anterior paracingulate cortex in migraine patients. | 2013 | Gonzalez de la Aleja, J., et al. |
| 1H | M and trigeminal neuralgia | 1000/144 | 3 | 14 | 36 | multi voxel | CSI | Functool software provided by the Advanted windows of General Electric |
Significant difference in NAA/Cho between migraine and control groups (p = 0.05). In trigeminal neuralgia group, NAA/Cho of both sides was lower than those of control group (p = 0.05). For the affected side, the difference of NAA/Cho in migraine group was observed in the left side, not in the right side (p = 0.05). Bilateral differences were observed in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in trigeminal neuralgia group. Comparing the metabolite concentration ratios of affected and contralateral thalami in migraine and trigeminal neuralgia groups, only NAA/Cr showed a significantly difference (p = 0.05). | 2008 | Gu, T., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 2000/144 | 3 | 14 | 15 MwoA, 14 cervicogenic headache (CH) | thalamus, ACC, paracentral gyrus (posterior) | 2D multivoxel PRESS | manufacturer supplied | Increased NAA/Cr in bilateral thalamus in MwoA patients after acupuncture threatment (left: 1.90 ± 0.22 vs 2.11 ± 0.35, T = 3.43, ES = 0.68, p = 0.006), (right: 1.83 ± 0.18 vs 1.96 ± 0.14, T = 3.38, ES = 0.81, p = 0.006). In the ACC there was no change in NAA/Cr in MwoA, decrease of NAA/Cr and Cho/NAA in CH group, and increase in NAA/Cr in HC group. No changes were observed in Cho/NAA. | 2018 | Gu, T., et al. |
| 1H | EM, CM | 1000/144 | 1.5 | 16 | 19 EM, 53 CM | brainstem | PRESS | GE scanner | Increased NAA/Cr ratios in dorsal pons in patients with episodic migraine (right, P = 0.014; left, P = 0.034) relative to chronic migraine and controls. NAA/Cr ratios in the dorsal pons inversely correlated with headache frequency (right, r = − 0.350, P = 0.004; left, r = − 0.284, P = 0.019) and intensity (right, r = − 0.286, P = 0.019; left, r = − 0.244, P = 0.045), but not disease duration. | 2012 | Lai, T.H., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 2000/68 | 3 | N/A | 1 MwA, 13 MwoA | anterior cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex | MEGA-PRESS | not specified | Significant decrease of GABA + in PCC (p = 0.015) for migraine patients responding to levetiracetam treatment. | 2018 | Li, Q. et al. |
| 1H | M | 1500/35 | 1.5 | 30 (15 with and 15 without major depressive disorder) | dorsolateral prefrontal cortex | PRESS | GE SAGE | No differences between NAA/tCr and Cho/tCr ratios between migraine patients with and without depressive disorder. Relative to patients without major depressive disorder (MDD), migraine patients with MDD had higher mI/tCr ratios in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (p = 0.02, left; p = 0.02, right, Mann-Whitney U test). The mI/tCr ratios in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were positively correlated with BDI scores (r = 0.52, p = 0.003). | 2015 | Lirng J. et al. | |
| 31P | MS, MwoA, MwA, and cluster headache | 4500/(N/A) | 1.5 | 36 | 78 (7 M stroke, 21 MwoA, 50 MwA, 13 cluster headache) | occipital | DRESS | not specified | Statistically significant differences in Mg2+ among different groups of subjects in the occipital lobes of migraine patients with migraine stroke (152 microM +/- 6) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in controls (184 microM +/- 5) and in patients with prolonged aura (156 microM =/- 7; p < 0.05), with typical aura or basilar migraine (159 micorM =/- 4; p < 0.05) and without aura (169 microM +/- 6; p < 0.05). In patients with cluster headache, brain free Mg2+ (166 microM +/- 5) was similar to findings in patients with migraine without aura and significantly (p < 0.05) lower than controls. |
2001 | Lodi, R., et al. |
| 31P | juvenile M | 5000/(N/A) | 1.5 | 12 | 15 | occipital | DRESS | Gencap | Reduced brain intracellular free Mg2+ concentration (by 25 %) in patients relative to controls. | 1997 | Lodi, R., et al., |
| 1H | MwA | 1500/30 | 1.5 | 7 | 8 | cerebellum | PRESS | JMRUI | Reduced Cho/NAA (p = 0.005) and Cho/Cr (p = 0.003) in the patient group with respect to the age-matched control group. No significant differences in Cr/NAA and mI/NAA or mI/Cr. | 2003 | Macrı, M. et al |
| 23Na | M, tension type | 120/0.2 | 3 | 12 | 24 (12 migraine, 12 migraine with tension headache) | CSF | 3D GRE | Osirix | Significantly higher 23Na concentration was observed in patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). Increased Na concentrations in CSF of migraine and mixed migraine/TTH group relative to control group (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001). A positive correlation was noted between pain level and TSC in the CSF (r = 0.62) in patients. | 2019 | Meyer, M.M., et al |
| 1H | MwoA | 1000/144 | 1.5 | 10 | 22 | bilateral thalamus | PRESS | Functool software provided by the Advanted windows of General Electric |
NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratios were significantly decreased in patients relative to controls (P = 0.003 and 0.027, respectively). The mean Cho/Cr, MI/NAA and Lac/NAA ratios showed no significant differences between patients and controls (P = 0.83, 0.10, and 0.09, respectively). | 2013 | Mohamed, R.,et al. |
| 31P | MwoA | 5000/(N/A) | 1.5 | 18 | 22 | occipital cortex | DRESS | in house software | Significantly low PCr content in MwoA compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001). Mean P was increased in migraine group (not significant). ADP was increased and PP was decreased in the migraine group (p < 0.001) | 1994 | Montagna, P., et al. |
| 1H | CM, EM | 1500/30 | 3 | 25 | 25 CM, 24 EM | bilateral medial walls of the brain | EPI | LCModel | In the right hemisphere of chronic migraine patients, NAA reduction was found for the ACC (F = 5.08, P = 0.009) and the thalamus (F = 7.39, P = 0.001) but not for the occipital cortex (F = 1.91, P = 0.155). Significant group effects were found for tCr in the left ACC (F = 3.406, P = 0.039) and the left thalamus (F = 5.144; P = 0.008) and for myo-inositol in the right ACC (F = 3.144, P = 0.050). | 2018 | Niddam DM, et al. |
| 1H | CM | 2530/3 | 3 | 16 | 16 | thalamus, ACC, PCC and mid cingulate cortex | MRSI (EPI) | LCModel | Reduced thalamic tNAA (left p = 0.005, right p = 0.0008) and Cr (left p = 0.003), reduced mI in the anterior cingulate cortex (left p = 0.004, right p = 0.001). Elevated choline (p = 0.048) and Glx (p = 0.006) in the right mid cingulate cortex in both patient groups. A negative association between mI laterality index in the anterior cingulate cortices and number of days per month with acute medication use was found across all patients. | 2020 | Niddam DM, et al. |
| 1H | M, whiplash headache, low back pain | 2000/68 | 3 | 22 | 56 (20 migraine) | PCG | MEGA-PRESS | Gannet | Increased GABA + levels in the posterior cingulate gyrus migraine and low back pain participants relative to controls (migraine 4.89 IU +/-0.62 vs controls 4.62 IU +/-0.38, p = 0.02). | 2021 | Peek, A.L., et al. |
| 1H | M | 2000/(30–260) | 4 | 8 | 10 | ACC, left insula | PRESS | LCModel | No significant metabolite differences between the two subject cohorts in the ACC and the insula using ANOVA. Differences in NAAG and GLn between subject cohorts were observed using Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) in the ACC and insula. | 2009 | Prescot, A., et al. |
| 31P | MwA, MwoA | 1512/(N/A) | 1.89 | 25 | 19 | frontal, frontotemporal, parieto-occipital or occipital cortex | PRESS | in house software | Statistically significant decrease in brain Mg between migraine patients and controls (p < 0.02). | 1989 | Ramadan, N.,et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 4000/(30–288) | 3 | 25 | 22 | visual cortex | PRESS | JMRUI | No changes found in any metabolites in patients without aura. | 2010 | Reyngoudt, H., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 2000/288 | 3 | 20 | 20 | visual cortex | PRESS | jMRUI | No significant differences in metabolate ratios and absolute metabolite concentrations, including Lac, between MwoA patients and controls before photic stimulation | 2011(b) | Reyngoudt, H., et al. |
| 31P | MwoA | 1550/2.37 | 3 | 26 | 19 | visual cortex | 2D CSI | syngo | Decreased PCr in MwoA patients (p = 0.001). Significantly lower ATP in MwoA (p = 023). | 2011(a) | Reyngoudt, H., et al. |
| 1H | MwA | 1500/288 | 1.5 | 11 | 10 | visual cortex | PRESS, functional MRSI | not specified | Functional MRS. Higher visual cortex Lac/NAA in migraine with aura (MwA) compared with healthy volunteers (HV) or migraine with aura with at least one of the following comorbidities: paraesthesia, paresis or dysphasia (MwAplus) (p < 0.05 for MwA vs HVs, P < 0.001 for MwA vs MwAplus). Lower Lac/NAA in the MwAplus group compared with healthy volunteers. No differences in Lac/NAA before stimulation between groups in non-visual cortices. During visual stimulation, the Lac/NAA in visual cortices remained high in MwA compared with the other groups also in the resting state after stimulation (P < 0.01 for MwA vs MwAplus, P < 0.05 for MwA vs HVs). In MwA plus lactate increased only during stimulation, only in visual cortex; in MwA resting lactate was high in visual cortex, without further increase during stimulation. | 2005 | Sandor, P.S., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 2000/144 | 1.5 | 10 | 44 (22 MwA, 22MwoA) | visual cortex | PRESS, functional MRSI | not specified | Decrease of NAA (-14.61 %) following photic stimulation in patients with migraine with aura realative to migraine patients without aura and control subjects accompanied by a slight increase in lactate. No differences observed in Cr and Cho signals between groups. | 2005 | Sarchielli, P., et al |
| 31P, 1H | MwA | 31P: 2500/(N/A) 1H 1500/135 |
2 | 16 | 21 | cortical | 1H: PRESS 31P: FID |
JMRUI | Decreased PCr/Pi (p < 0.003) in patients with hemiplegic migraine. No differences noted in metabolites measured by 1H. | 2007 | Schulz, U.G., et al. |
| 31P | MS, MwoA | 1500/135 | 2 | 14 | 14 | lentiform nucleus | PRESS | JMRUI | Patients with persistent aura without infarction had lower PCr/Pi ratios (mean = 1.61, SD = 0.10) compared with controls (1.94,0.35, P = 0.011) and with patients with migrainous stroke (1.96,0.16, P = 0.0001). The differences were present in cortical tissue only. In migrainous stroke patients, no significant differences were found in the metabolite ratios from those of controls without migraine. | 2009 | Schulz, U.G., et al. |
| 1H | MwA | 2000/37 | 3 | 10 | 10 | visual cortex | PRESS | Philips curve fitting software | Significantly higher (Glx/Cr) reported in migraineurs relative to healthy controls (p = 0.036).The baseline values for the NAA/Cr ratio and of Cr did not differ between groups for both sessions and for both baseline recordings. | 2012 | Siniatchkin M., et al. |
| 1H | MwA | 2000/44 | 3 | 16 | 14 | occipital and somatosensory cortices | SPECIAL | LCModel | No differences GABA/Cr in the occipital lobes of 14 migraine with aura patients relative to 16 matched healthy controls (p = 0.744). Similarly, no difference for the same two groups in the somatosensory cortex (p = 0.305). | 2019 | Staermose, T.G., et al. |
| 31P | HM | 5000/3.3 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | occipital | DRESS | Gencap | Reduced PCr and high ADP in occipital regions. Also reportred was a decreased phosphorylation potential in HM. | 1995 | Uncini, A., et al. |
| 1H | CM and Cluster Headache | 1500/144 | 1.5 | 21 | 47 cluster headache, 16 CM | bilateral hypothalami | PRESS | Functool software provided by the Advanted windows of General Electric |
Significant reduction in 1H‐MRS metabolite ratios (NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr) in the hypothalamus in patients with episodic cluster headache compared to controls and CM (NAA/Cr p < 0.001, Cho/Cr p = 0.006). No change in metabolite ratios in CM compared to HC. | 2006 | Wang, S.J., et al. |
| 1H | M, MwA | 1500/270 | 1.5 | 6 | 6 | occipital | SE sequence | not specified | High lactate levels in 5 patients with migraine attacks within 2 months. The patient with no migraine attack history for previous 4 years did not have a Lac peak. | 1996 | Watanabe, H., et al., |
| 31P | M | 1512/(N/A) | 1.89 | 12 | 27 | right or left frontal, fronto temporal,parieto occipital and occipital | FID | not specified | No changes in pHi were measured during a migraine attack. | 1988 | Welch, K.M., et al. |
| 31P | M | 1512/(N/A) | 1.89 | 12 | 27 | right or left frontal, fronto temporal,parieto occipital and occipital | not specified | not specified | Compared with normal subjects, a lower mean PCr/Pi ratio was observed in patients studied during a migraine attack. Reduction in mean PCr/TP ratio and increase in mean Pi/TP ratio (all p values < 0.05). No change in brain pHi was reported during or between attacks. Disordered nergy phosphate metabolism was reported during a migraine attack. | 1989 | Welch, K.M., et al. |
| 1H | Migraine Like Headache | 3000/38 | 3 | N/A | 17 | brainstem, thalamus | PRESS | LCModel | In migraine subjects, increase in Glu in brainstem was reported after sildenafil administration (5.6 %, P = 0.039) compared to placebo injection. No changes in GLU, LAC or NAA in thalamus. | 2018 | Younis, S., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 3000/38.3 | 3 | N/A | 26 | pons | PRESS | LCModel | Increased pontine tCr (3.5 %, p = 0.041) and tNAA levels (3.5 %, p = 0.014). No change in pontine GLU (p = 0.873) or Lac (p = 0.099). | 2021a | Younis, S., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 3000/38.3 | 3 | 16 | 33 | pons | PRESS | LCModel | No altered interictal pontine NAA, Glx or lactate levels were found in migraine. Increases of tCr (9 %,p = 0.009) were reported suggestive of altered pontine energy metabolism. | 2021b | Younis, S., et al. |
| 1H | MwoA | 2000/35 | 3 | 13 | 19 MwoA (6 woA during attack, 13 during interictal period) | occipital cortex | PRESS | LCModel | Reduced GSH/tCr in patients without aura during attack was found relative to patients with aura during interictal period (MWoA-DI) and HC (p = 0.008 and p = 0.011). MWoA-DI patients showed lower tCho/tCr than those in the other two groups (p = 0.031 and p = 0.022). The GSH/tCr ratio was positively correlated with attack frequency in the MWoA-DI group. The tCho/tCr ratio was positively correlated with attack frequency and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) scores in the MWoA-DA group. There were no statistical differences in tCho/tCr between the MWoA-DA and HC groups. There were no statistical differences in NAA/tCr, mI/tCr, and Glu/tCr among the three groups (all p > 0.05). | 2021 | Zhang,L., et al. |
| 1H | HM | 2000/21 | 7 | 19 | 18 | pons, hypothalamus, cerebellum and visual cortex | STEAM | LCModel | Decreased NAA/Cr in cerebellum (median 0.73, range 0.59–1.03) compared to healthy controls (median 0.79, range (0.67–0.95); p = 0.02) | 2014 | Zielman, R., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA, HM | 4000/10 | 7 | 43 | 38 MwA, 27 MwoA, 18 HM | CSF | NOESY | in house software | 2-Hydroxybutyrate was significantly lower for hemiplegic migraine (23 mM+/-9.2) compared to controls (29 mM+/-12, p = 0.003). 2-Hydroxyisovalerate levels were significantly lower for hemiplegic migraine (5 mM +/- 1.4) compared to controls (7 mM +/- 2.1, p = 0.003). Cho was significantly lower in both migraine with and without aura. | 2016 | Zielman, R., et al. |
| 1H | MwA, MwoA | 5000/30 | 7 | 24 | 50 (23 MwA, 27 MwoA) | visual cortex | semi-LASER, diffusion weigted PRESS | LCModel | Increased Glu levels reported in visual cortices of migrainers without aura (7.02 ± 0.50 mM) compared to healthy controls (6.40 ± 0.78 mM, P = 0.042) | 2017 | Zielman, R., et al. |
Point Resolved Spectroscopy (PRESS), Depth Resolved Surface Coil Spectroscopy (DRESS), Free induction Decay (FID), Stimulated Echo Acquisition Mode (STEAM),Localization by adiabatic selective refocussing (LASER), Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy(NOESY) Grey Matter (GM), White Matter(WM) Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Not applicable (N/A).