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Choroid Plexus Enlargement in Patients with Chronic Migraine: Implications for Glymphatic System Dysfunction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2025

Ho-Joon Lee ,
Dong Ah Lee  and
Kang Min Park Open the ORCID record for Kang Min Park [Opens in a new window]
Ho-Joon Lee
Affiliation:
Departments of Radiology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
Dong Ah Lee
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
Kang Min Park*
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
*
Corresponding author: Kang Min Park; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives:

The choroid plexus produces cerebrospinal fluid, which is crucial for glymphatic system function. Evidence suggests that changes in the volume of the choroid plexus may be associated with glymphatic system function. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate alterations in choroid plexus volume in patients with migraines compared with healthy controls.

Methods:

We enrolled 59 patients with migraines (39 and 20 with episodic and chronic migraines, respectively) and 61 healthy controls. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, including three-dimensional T1-weighted imaging. We analyzed and compared choroid plexus volumes between patients with episodic migraines, those with chronic migraines and healthy controls. Additionally, we evaluated the association between choroid plexus volume and the clinical characteristics of patients with migraine.

Results:

The choroid plexus volume in patients with chronic migraines was higher than that in healthy controls (2.018 vs. 1.698%, p = 0.002) and patients with episodic migraines (2.018 vs. 1.680%, p = 0.010). However, no differences were observed in choroid plexus volumes between patients with episodic migraine and healthy controls. Choroid plexus volume was positively correlated with age in patients with migraines (r = 0.301, p = 0.020) and in healthy controls (r = 0.382, p = 0.002).

Conclusion:

We demonstrated significant enlargement of the choroid plexus in patients with chronic migraine compared with healthy controls and those with episodic migraine. This finding suggests that chronic migraine may be associated with glymphatic system dysfunction.

Résumé

Résumé

L’influence de l’hypertrophie des plexus choroïdes sur le dysfonctionnement du systéme glymphatique chez les patients atteints de migraine chronique.

Objectif :

Les plexus choroïdes produisent le liquide céphalorachidien, formations qui jouent un rôle très important dans le fonctionnement du système glymphatique. D′après des données scientifiques, les changements de volume des plexus choroïdes pourraient être associés au fonctionnement du système glymphatique. Aussi l′étude visait-elle à examiner et à comparer les changements de volume des plexus choroïdes chez les personnes atteintes de migraine et chez des témoins en bonne santé.

Méthode :

Au total, 59 patients atteints de migraine (39 et 20 atteints de migraine épisodique et de migraine chronique, respectivement) et 61 témoins en bonne santé ont participé à l′étude. Tous les sujets ont subi des examens d′imagerie du cerveau par résonance magnétique, dont l′un par imagerie en trois dimensions et pondérée en T1. Ensuite, il y a eu analyse du volume des plexus choroïdes, puis comparaison des données entre les patients atteints de migraine épisodique, ceux atteints de migraine chronique et les témoins en bonne santé. En outre, l′équipe a évalué l′association du volume des plexus choroïdes avec les caractéristiques cliniques des migraines.

Résultats :

Le volume des plexus choroïdes chez les patients atteints de migraine chronique était plus gros que celui observé chez les témoins en bonne santé (2,018 contre [c.] 1,698 %; p = 0,002) et chez les patients atteints de migraine épisodique (2,018 c. 1,680 %; p = 0,010). Par contre, aucune différence n′a été relevée quant au volume des plexus choroïdes entre les patients atteints de migraine épisodique et les témoins en bonne santé. Enfin, une corrélation positive a été établie entre le volume des plexus choroïdes et l′âge chez les patients atteints de migraine (r = 0,301; p = 0,020) et chez les témoins en bonne santé (r = 0,382; p = 0,002).

Conclusion :

Les résultats de l′étude ont permis de démontrer l′existence d′une augmentation importante du volume des plexus choroïdes chez les patients atteints de migraine chronique comparativement aux témoins en bonne santé et aux patients atteints de migraine épisodique. Cette constatation donne à penser que la migraine chronique pourrait être associée au dysfonctionnement du système glymphatique.

Keywords

choroid plexusglymphatic systemneuroimagingMRImigraine
Type
Original Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , First View , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation

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