Functional MRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Migraine: A Review of Migraine Functional and White Matter Microstructural Changes

Migraine is a complex and heterogenous disorder whose disease mechanisms remain disputed. This narrative review summarizes functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings and interprets their association with migraine symptoms and subtype to support and expand our current understanding of migraine pathophysiology. Our PubMed search evaluated and included fMRI and DTI studies involving comparisons between migraineurs vs healthy controls, migraineurs with vs without aura, and episodic vs chronic migraineurs. Migraineurs demonstrate changes in functional connectivity (FC) and regional activation in numerous pain-related networks depending on migraine phase, presence of aura, and chronicity. Changes to diffusion indices are observed in major cortical white matter tracts extending to the brainstem and cerebellum, more prominent in chronic migraine and associated with FC changes. Reported changes in FC and regional activation likely relate to pain processing and sensory hypersensitivities. Diffuse white matter microstructural changes in dysfunctional cortical pain and sensory pathways complement these functional differences. Interpretations of reported fMRI and DTI measure trends have not achieved a clear consensus due to inconsistencies in the migraine neuroimaging literature. Future fMRI and DTI studies should establish and implement a uniform methodology that reproduces existing results and directly compares migraineurs with different subtypes. Combined fMRI and DTI imaging may provide better pathophysiological explanations for nonspecific FC and white matter microstructural differences.