The following is a summary of “Connectivity of the insular subdivisions differentiates posttraumatic headache-associated from nonheadache-associated mild traumatic brain injury: an arterial spin labelling study,” published in the June 2024 issue of Pain by Li, et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore the functional heterogeneity of insular subregions in posttraumatic headache (PTH) following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

They studied 94 patients with mTBI. The study utilized arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion MRI to assess perfusion-based functional connectivity (FC) of insular subregions. The research analyzed correlations between FC patterns and clinical parameters in patients with PTH and those without headaches after mTBI.

The results showed that mTBI + PTH and mTBI-PTH groups showed positive perfusion-based FC with other insular nuclei and nearby cortical regions. In comparison to the mTBI-PTH group, the mTBI + PTH group exhibited significantly higher resting-state perfusion-based FC between the anterior insula (AI) and middle cingulate cortex (MCC)/Rolandic operculum (ROL) and between the posterior insula (PI) and supplementary motor area (SMA). Conversely, decreased perfusion-based FC was observed between the PI and thalamus in the mTBI + PTH group. Changes in perfusion-based FC involving the left PI/dorsal AI with the thalamus/MCC correlated significantly with headache characteristics.

Investigators concluded that ASL perfusion changes in insular subregions of patients with mTBI with PTH, linked to headache characteristics, suggest potential neuroplasticity and hold promise for earlier diagnosis and monitoring of PTH.

Source: thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-024-01809-z