High-field MR Imaging in Migraine, Visual Snow and Epilepsy

Summary

In this project, the aim is to recruit patients with drug resistant epilepsy and those suffering from migraine. Interestingly, patients suffering from epilepsy are also more often reporting to suffer from migraine. The pathobiology is understudied, but it is believed that both etiologies results from brain networks changes. A clinical certified 7T Terra Siemens scanner will be employed to assess in all participants (including healthy controls) how the microstructure differs in disease specific areas. Patients will further be clinically assessed as well as undergo questionnaires.

Migraine is also a common comorbidity to visual snow syndrom and has been shown to impact similar brain regions. However, the pathophysiology is still understudied and a better understanding of the two diseases is needed.

Conditions

• Migraine
• Epilepsy
• Visual Snow Syndrome

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Structural MRI

We will examine migraine and epilepsy patients as well as healthy controls using conventional structural MRI in the brain and spinal cord including T1-, T2-, and T2\*-weighted sequences

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Quantitative MRI

We will examine migraine and epilepsy patients as well as healthy controls using quantitative MRI in the brain and spinal cord. This includes multi-parameter mapping (MPM) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM).

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Diffusion MRI

We will examine migraine and epilepsy patients as well as healthy controls using diffusion MRI in both brain and spinal cord.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

fMRI

We will examine migraine and epilepsy patients as well as healthy controls using resting-state and task fMRI (including sensory stimulation using pain stimulus) in both brain and spinal cord.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

MR Spectroscopy

We will examine migraine and epilepsy patients as well as healthy controls using MR Spectroscopy in both brain and spinal cord.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Balgrist University Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Zurich

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Patrick Freund, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. · University of Zurich

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-01

Primary Completion

2026-06-30

Completion

2026-06-30

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations