Patients with migraine report significantly more dizziness and motion sickness than controls during a virtual roller coaster ride, according to a study published in Neurology. Researchers examined the behavioral and neuronal responses of patients with migraine and controls to a vi- sual stimulation of self-motion through a virtu- al roller coaster ride during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patients rated their perceived level of vestibular symptoms and motion sickness in scanning intervals and after the experiment. During the virtual roller coaster ride, patients with migraine reported more dizziness (65% vs 30%) and motion sickness (simulator sickness questionnaire score, 47.3 vs 24.3) and longer symptom duration (1.19 vs 0.27 minutes) and intensity (visual analog scale, 22.0 vs 9.9), com- pared with controls. Patients with migraine had neuronal activity that was more pronounced in clusters within the superior and inferior occi- pital gyrus, pontine nuclei, and the cerebellar lobules V/VI; decreased activity was observed in the cerebellar lobule VIIb and in the middle frontal gyrus. There were correlations noted for these activations with migraine disability and motion sickness scores. In patients with migraine, but not controls, further enhanced connectivity was seen between the pontine nuclei, cerebellar areas V/VI, and interior and superior occipital gyrus with numerous cortical areas. “By identify- ing and pinpointing these changes, our research could lead to a better understanding of migraine, which could in turn lead to the development of better treatments,” a study coauthor said.
