Migraine as a Risk Factor for White Matter Lesions, Silent Infarctions, and Ischemic Stroke: The Potential Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

The high prevalence of migraine among young individuals with stroke as well as dysfunction of cerebral arteries during the migraine attack has led to the hypothesis that migraine may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Advances in brain imaging have provided further evidence that migraine may not only be associated with stroke, but also with silent infarctions and with white matter lesions in the brain. In this review, we discuss the current scientific evidence, plausable biological mechanisms, and potential treatment options.