MRI May Define Two Distinct Migraine Phenotypes - Report - MDSpire

MRI May Define Two Distinct Migraine Phenotypes

Patients with greater migraine burden showed widespread connectivity changes and lower cortical volume.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • May 21, 2026

  • 3 min

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Clinical Report: MRI May Define Two Distinct Migraine Phenotypes

Overview

This study identifies two distinct migraine subgroups using multimodal MRI data, revealing differences in clinical profiles and brain connectivity.

Background

Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of migraine is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatment. This study leverages advanced neuroimaging techniques to explore the structural and functional differences between migraine subtypes.

Data Highlights

ClusterParticipantsAgeMigraine DurationMigraine-Related DisabilityPain Self-Efficacy
M1f + s48LowerShorterLowerHigher
M2f + s63OlderLongerGreaterLower

Key Findings

  • Two migraine clusters were identified: M1f + s and M2f + s.
  • M2f + s cluster patients were older with longer migraine duration and greater disability.
  • Increased rates of medication overuse headache, aura, prodrome, and allodynia were observed in the M2f + s cluster.
  • Functional connectivity was broadly increased in the M2f + s cluster compared to controls.
  • Structural analyses showed lower cortical volumes in the M2f + s cluster across multiple brain regions.
  • Multimodal clustering provided better differentiation than functional-only or structural-only models.

Clinical Implications

The identification of distinct migraine phenotypes based on neuroimaging may facilitate more personalized treatment approaches.

Conclusion

This study applied a data-driven integration of functional and structural MRI features to characterize heterogeneity within migraine.

Related Resources & Content

  1. Sridhar J., Cephalalgia, 2023 -- MRI May Define Two Distinct Migraine Phenotypes
  2. Brain, 2023 -- Composite microRNA–genetic risk score model links to migraine and implicates its pathogenesis
  3. Brain, 2023 -- Diagnosing migraine from genome-wide genotype data: a machine learning analysis
  4. Frontiers in Neurology, 2026 -- Matrix and graphical representation of the primary headache syndromes in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD3)
  5. American Headache Society -- Overview of Migraine Diagnosis
  6. Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria -- Unraveling the relationship between white matter lesions in MRI and migraine
  7. Brain — Trigeminal nerve microstructure is linked with neuroinflammation and brainstem activity in migraine
  8. Overview of Migraine Diagnosis | American Headache Society
  9. Unraveling the relationship between white matter lesions in MRI and migraine
  10. 5.0 T MRI reveals characteristic alterations in visual and somatomotor networks associated with migraine chronification: a single-center prospective cohort study - PubMed

Original Source(s)

MRI May Define Two Distinct Migraine Phenotypes

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • May 21, 2026

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