Altered neurochemical coupling in the occipital cortex in migraine with visual aura

Background Visual aura is present in about one-third of migraine patients and triggering by bright or flickering lights is frequently reported. Method Using migraine with visual aura patients, we investigated the neurochemical profile of the visual cortex using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Specifically, glutamate/creatine and GABA/creatine ratios were quantified in the occipital cortex of female migraine patients. Results GABA levels in the occipital cortex of migraine patients were lower than that of controls. Glutamate levels in migraine patients, but not controls, correlated with the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the primary visual cortex during visual stimulation. Conclusion Migraine with visual aura appears to disrupt the excitation-inhibition coupling in the occipital cortex.