This magnetic resonance image (MRI) is taken from an actual patient during a migraine visual aura. The MRI changes are computer reconstructed on a human brain viewed in mid-sagittal section and taken over time (20 minutes compressed into 20 seconds). The occipital lobe is towards the viewers right. The bright yellow and red areas that appear correspond to regions of brain activation, beginning near the back of the visual cortex (to the viewers right) and slowly marching (jumping) to the left. This march from right to left (or back to front of occipital cortex) corresponds to the patients visual field disturbance or visual aura. Central vision is represented most posteriorly whereas peripheral vision is represented most anteriorly in the occipital lobe. Hadkikhani et al Proc Natl Acad Sci 2002

About Migraine

What is Migraine?

Migraine – Who does it Affect?

The Burden of Migraine

Current Migraine Treatments are Inadequate

What is Migraine?

• Migraine is an inherited neurological disorder that is characterized by hyperexcitable brain networks that may be triggered by a variety of stimuli (e.g. alcohol, menstruation, fragrances, light glare), or become active spontaneously (even during sleep), leading to attacks.
   
• The attacks often begin with a premonitory phase that may be characterized by severe fatigue, increased urination, yawning, neck pain, or sensitivity to light, noise or odors.
   
• The attacks may, in one-third of sufferers, then proceed into an aura phase prior to onset of the headache. The most common type of aura consists of visual symptoms such as seeing flashing lights, squiggly lines, or losing vision in small areas of the visual field. The aura may also be associated with tingling/numbness on one side of the face and hand, and difficulty understanding or expressing speech.
   
• The headache phase of migraine is often moderate or severe in intensity (in 40% of patients may be non-throbbing) and can be extremely disabling for sufferers, painful enough to cause work loss and absence from activities with family and friends.
   
• Head pain is often made worse with routine activities (e.g. walking, climbing stairs).
   
• In addition to headache, migraine attacks are often associated with increased sensitivity to environmental stimuli (e.g. lights, sounds, odors), nausea or vomiting.
   
• Migraine attacks may also be associated with sinus pain or pressure, neck pain, dizziness, difficulty with concentration and mental processing, anxiety and other changes in mood.  
   
• The final post-headache phase is characterized by fatigue, malaise, mood changes, difficulty with concentration, and head pain that may occur with movement, coughing, or straining.  
   
• Migraine headache typically lasts about 24 hours (range of 4 hours to 3 days). However, an attack includes all phases and from beginning to end, can last several days or more.

Migraine – Who does it Affect?

• Thirty-six million Americans, about 12% of the population, suffer from migraine headaches.
   
• One in four households in America has a member with migraine.
   
• Migraine is 3 times more common in women than men. Migraine affects 30% of women over a lifetime.
   
• Migraine is most common between the 3rd and 6th decades of life in both men and women. However, migraine affects people of all ages, including children and the elderly.
   
• Although most people with migraine have a few attacks or less per month, 3% of the population have chronic migraine. Chronic migraine indicates the presence of at least 15 days of headache each month for at least 6 months.
   

The Burden of Migraine

• Migraine costs the United States more than $20 billion each year. Costs are attributed to direct medical expenses (e.g. doctor visits, medications) and indirect expenses (e.g. missed work, lost productivity).
   
• Migraine is disabling. The World Health Organization places migraine as one of the 20 most disabling medical illnesses on the planet.
   
• Chronic migraine is even more disabling.
   
• Those with migraine are more likely to have depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, other pain conditions, and fatigue.
   
• People who have a history of experiencing an aura phase have been shown to be at an increased risk for stroke and heart attack.

Current Migraine Treatments are Inadequate

• There is no cure for migraine. Treatments are aimed at reducing headache frequency and stopping individual headaches when they occur.
   
• Prophylactic treatments (to reduce headache frequency) may include avoidance of migraine triggers, medications, physical therapies and behavioral therapies.
   
• Abortive treatments (taken when a patient has a headache) include over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription medications.
   
• Although prophylactic and abortive treatments help many people with migraine, they are far from perfect. Undoubtedly, better treatments are needed.
   
• Prophylactic medications reduce headache frequency by 1/2 in only about 40% of patients who take these medications.
   
• Medication side effects often limit the use of migraine medications.