Factors influencing the occurrence and characteristics of white matter hyperintensities on the brain imaging of migraine patients.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) increase the burden of migraine on the patients' lives and leading to migraine-related poor outcomes, so we aim to evaluate the association of different neurophysiological, psychological, and clinical factors with the presence and characteristics of WMHs on the brain imaging of migraine patients.

Methods: Our study included 300 migraine patients who underwent clinical, psychological, and neurophysiological assessment, including P300, which represented an event-related potential (ERP) component elicited in the decision-making process. The goal was to evaluate the association of these factors with the presence and characteristics of WMHs on the brain imaging of migraine patients.

Results: older age (OR, 1.213; 95% CI, 1.149 to 1.787; P-value 0.02), P300 Fz latency (OR, 1.852; 95% CI, 1.374 to 2.314; P-value < 0.001), P300 Pz latency (OR, 1.823; 95% CI, 1.397 to 4.237; P-value < 0.001), migraine with aura (OR, 7.115; 95% CI, 3.874 to 14.254; P-value 0.01), chronic migraine (OR, 6.105; 95% CI, 3.364 to 8.057; P-value < 0.001), and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) (OR, 0.543; 95% CI, 0.169 to 0.723; P-value < 0.001) were associated with developing WMHs on the brain MRI of migraine patients.

Conclusion: Prolonged P300 latency, older age, lower MoCA score, chronic migraine, and migraine with aura were associated with the presence of WMHs on the brain imaging of migraine patients. In addition, longer P300 latency was positively correlated with WMH diameter, number, and Schelten's score. In contrast, higher P300 amplitude and higher MoCA score were negatively correlated with WMH diameter, number, and Schelten's score in migraine patients.