Resting-state functional MRI study of brain functional activity changes in patients with patent foramen ovale and migraine

Motivation: The pathophysiologic mechanism of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and migraine remains unclear. Resting-state functional MRI can provide an imaging basis and markers for assessing migraine mechanisms and disease evolution in these patients. Goal(s): To identify the brain regions with abnormal functional activity in patients with PFO and migraine by rs-fMRI. Approach: Prospective collection of PFO patients and age-sex corresponding healthy controls. Normalized brain function index values were compared between groups. The correlation of those values with PFO diameter, right-to-left shunt grade, and migraine severity was analyzed. Results: Patients with PFO and migraine had reduced ALFF values for left postcentral, superior parietal, and precuneus. Impact: This study explores the changes in brain function in patients with PFO and migrainethrough brain function imaging and identifies brain regions with abnormal brain function activities. The ALFF value was correlated with the severity of migraine.