Migraineurs have atypical brain processing of pain
We know that people with migraine are hypersensitive and hypervigilant to painful stimuli. Unlike most adults, they are unable to inhibit pain sensation by shifting their attention away from the pain.
These observations have been confirmed in new studies that show that migraineurs have abnormal relationships between the cortical thickness of regions that participate in pain processing and pain thresholds. These findings indicate that along with use of medications, techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy may be useful by helping patients learn to distract or reorient their attention in the moment of pain.
This study by Todd Schwedt, MD, was presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
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