| The theory of hyper-excitability of the cerebral cortex and the lack of habituation as pathogenesis in migraine without aura headache were investigated in the current study which aimed to replicate and expand previous work (Kropp & Gerber, 1995; Siniatckin, Gerber, Kropp, & Vein, 1998; Afra, Proietti Cecchini, Sandor, & Schoenen, 2000, & Siniatchkin, Averkina, & Gerber, 2006). The current study compared a migraine without aura group (n=28), an episodic tension-type group (n=21), and a non-headache group (n=15) on the measure of early contingent negative variation (iCNV). Forty-nine of the participants were included for a habituation measure. Migraine without aura (n=20), episodic tension-type (n=15), and non-headache (n=14) groups were compared. Measures of anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, positive and negative affect and migraine disability, headache characteristics, and medications were analyzed. In the total sample, 84% were female and 16% male, age range 20–59, 82% White, 7% Native American, 4% Black, 4% Asian, 3% Pacific Islander. There were no significant differences on demographic variables between groups. A one-way ANOVA was used to examine group differences for iCNV. A two way ANOVA with one repeated measure was used to investigate changes between groups across time, that is, the measure of habituation. Results revealed no significant difference between the groups for iCNV (F [2,61]=1.1, P=.34, η 2.035). There was no significant interaction (group x time) (F [2,46]=1.5, p=.24, η2.06). In addition, there was no main effect for time (F [1,48]=2.2, p=.14, η2.05). The current study failed to replicate previous research on increased iCNV and lack of habituation in migraine. Future research is needed to replicate the current study. It is suggested that investigation of possible embedded subcategories to increase our knowledge of participating phenomena leading to the heterogeneity of the population and underlying mechanisms be planned in the future. |
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