Microstructural alterations in gray and white matter integrity in migraine with aura

Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders. Thirty percent of migraine patients develop transient neurological symptoms, the so-called migraine aura. Migraineurs, particularly those with aura, show an increased incidence of white matter lesions (WML). To improve our understanding of WML in migraineurs, we utilized Soma and Neurite Density Image (SANDI) as an advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging signal model to assess in-vivo microstructure of gray matter and white matter. We found evidence for occult changes in microstructural gray and white matter integrity that point to a common underlying mechanism driving cellular inflammation and neuronal injury in migraine.