The headache problem migraine is linked to permanent changes to brain structure, researchers report today.
The finding is important as migraine has not been regarded as a condition linked to deterioration of the brain.
But an analysis by Danish researchers concludes that sufferers also suffer from a high risk of loss of brain volume, abnormalities of white matter and brain lesions.
People who suffer from auras with their migraine suffer even worse effects, they found.
The study, reported in the journal Neurology, comes from an analysis of 19 pieces of research.
Researcher Dr Messoud , of the University of Copenhagen, said the study showed the illness "may permanently alter brain structure in multiple ways.”
He said: “Traditionally, migraine has been considered a benign disorder without long-term consequences for the brain.
“We hope that through more study, we can clarify the association of brain structure changes to attack frequency and length of the disease. We also want to find out how these lesions may influence brain function.”
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