Circle of Willis variations in migraine patients with ischemic stroke (original) (raw)

Anatomical Variants of the Circle of Willis and Brain Lesions in Migraineurs

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques, 2011

Background:Some reports demonstrated vascular alterations in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in migraineurs and a relationship between circle of Willis (Circle) variants and lacunar brain infarcts. We examined anomalies of the whole circle of Willis and their relationship with vascular brain lesions in migraineurs, to identify any possible vascular mechanism in migraine.Methods:We studied, with a cohort controlled study, the circle of Willis in migraineurs seen consecutively in our Headache Center, and in non-headache controls, using angio-MRI of the brain. Statistical analysis used ANOVA, Scheffè's criterion, t-student test.Results:We recruited 270 migraineurs (204 without aura (MWOA), 66 with aura (MWA) and 159 controls. Migraineurs presented an anatomical variant in 108 (40%) cases with 34 controls (21.4%) presenting a variant. We found a significant association between MWOA and variants (OR=2.4 CI95% [1.5 to 3.9]) and between MWA and variants (OR=3.2 CI95% [1.6 to 4.1...

Migraine without aura is not associated with incomplete circle of Willis: a case–control study using high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography

The Journal of Headache and Pain, 2014

Background: The circle of Willis is an important source of collateral blood flow to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion, particularly in the posterior circulation. Some studies report a relationship between incomplete circle of Willis and migraine, whereas other studies show no difference between the prevalence of incomplete circle of Willis in migraineurs and controls. In the present study we compared the prevalence of incomplete circle of Willis in female migraine patients without aura to female healthy non-migraine controls. Using 3-Tesla magnetic resonance angiography we recorded three-dimensional time-of-flight angiograms in 85 female participants (48 migraine patients without aura [median age 28 years] and 37 healthy controls [median age 25 years]). The images were subsequently analysed blindly by a neuroradiologist to detect incomplete circle of Willis.

Incomplete Posterior Circle of Willis: A Risk Factor for Migraine?

Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 2009

Background.-Migraine is associated with vascular risk factors and white matter abnormalities (WMA). Cerebral hypoperfusion is known to be one mechanism underlying WMA and a few studies have shown that an incomplete circle of Willis (CW) may predispose to cerebral hypoperfusion. This study assessed the relationship between the morphologic characteristics of the CW and migraine.

detailed study of arterial variations in circle of Willis among migraine and non migrainous patients in Western Uttar Pradesh

International journal of health sciences

Background: The human brain represents 2% of human body weight. It is supplied by two major arteries, paired internal carotid arteries and vertebral arteries. The arterial circle of Willis forms a polygonal anastomotic channel between two internal carotid artery and two vertebral arteries. The arterial circle is situated at the base of the brain in the interpeduncular fossa. Dr. Thomas Willis who first described the function of arterial anastomosis in 1966. Aim: To study the incidence of arterial variations in circle of willis among migraine patients of Western U.P. Methodology: Present study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Santosh Medical College Ghaziabad in collaboration with the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Rama Medical College & Hospital, Ghaziabad and from Dr. O.P Gupta Imaging Centre, Meerut. A total of 132 patients were scanned and 3D TOF sequence has been taken for MRA (BRAIN) examination.3D angiogram was reviewed for variation in brain. Results: The complete c...

Migraine and ischemic stroke: a debated question

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 2008

Numerous epidemiologic observations reporting high prevalence of migraine among young individuals with stroke as well as dysfunction of cerebral arteries during migraine attacks prompt speculation on the existence of a comorbidity between the two disorders. The recent finding of silent infarct-like brain lesions in migraineurs reinforced this hypothesis and raised questions on whether migraine may be a progressive disorder rather than simply an episodic disorder. Stroke can occur during the course of migraine attacks with aura, supporting the assumption of a causal relation between the two diseases. Migraine may accentuate other existing risk factors for stroke, and both jointly increase the risk of cerebral ischemia outside of migraine attacks. In this regard, the role of migraine might be that of predisposing condition for cerebral ischemia. Migraine and ischemic stroke may be the end phenotype of common pathogenic mechanisms. Evidence of a migraine-stroke relation in cases of spe...

Predictors of Migraine Subtypes in Young Adults With Ischemic Stroke

Stroke, 2010

Background and Purpose— The mechanisms underlying the relationship between migraine and ischemic stroke remain uncertain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of major cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac interatrial abnormalities, and additional biological markers on migraine subtypes in young adults with ischemic stroke. Methods— Ischemic stroke patients aged 45 years or younger were consecutively enrolled as part of the Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults. A comprehensive evaluation was performed including assessment of self-reported migraine and cardiovascular risk factors, interatrial right-to-left shunt, and genotyping to detect factor V Leiden and the G20210A mutation in the prothrombin gene. Results— Nine hundred eighty-one patients (mean age, 36.0±7.6 years; 50.7% women) were included. The risk of migraine with aura increased with decreasing number of cardiovascular risk factors (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24–0.99 for 2 factors or more), incre...

Migraine and Ischemic Stroke: Deciphering the Bidirectional Pathway

ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2020

Migraine and stroke are common, disabling neurological conditions with 3 several theories being proposed to explain this bidirectional relationship. Migraine is 4 considered as a benign neurological disorder, but research has revealed a 5 connection between migraine and stroke, predominantly those having migraine with aura (MA). Among migraineurs, females with MA are more susceptible to ischemic 7 stroke and may have a migrainous infarction. Migrainous infarction mostly occurs in 8 the posterior circulation of young women. Although there are several theories about 9 the potential relationship between MA and stroke, yet the precise pathological 10 process of migrainous infarction is not clear. It is assumed that cortical spreading 11 depression (CSD) might be one of the essential factors for migrainous infarction. 12 Other factors that may contribute to migrainous infarction may comprehend genetic, 13 hormonal fluctuation, hypercoagulation and right to left cardiac shunts. Anti-migraine 14 drugs, such as ergot alkaloids and triptans, are widely used in migraine care. Still, 15 they have been found to cause severe vasoconstriction, which may result in the 16 development of ischemia. It is reported that patients with stroke develop migraines 17 during the recovery phase. Both experimental and clinical data suggest that cerebral 18 micro-embolism can act as a potential trigger for MA. Further studies are warranted 19 for the treatment of migraine, which may lead to a decline in migraine-related stroke.