Migraine-related differences in connectivity patterns during emotional audiovisual processing revealed by functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis.
4 affiliations
- 1Ekstrand Neuroimaging Lab, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada.
- 2Peter S. Allen MRI Research Centre, University of Alberta, 116 St & 85 Ave, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada.
- 3Ekstrand Neuroimaging Lab, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada. [email protected].
- 44401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Migraine is a complex neurobiological disorder characterized by recurrent headache attacks accompanied by sensory, cognitive, autonomic, and affective symptoms. Migraine has been associated with alterations in visual and auditory processing, as well as increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli both during and between attacks. Migraine has also been associated with increased sensitivity to the arousal and valence of emotional stimuli, though this relationship is not well understood. The present study investigates how migraine influences large-scale network interactions during complex emotional audiovisual processing.Methods
Functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected from 22 migraineurs and 21 healthy controls during the passive viewing of three audiovisual films (negative valence/high arousal; positive valence/high arousal; neutral valence/low arousal). Functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis (fc-MVPA) identified distributed connectivity patterns that differentiated the groups.Results
During the negative valence, high-arousal condition, fc-MVPA identified a cluster in the superior lateral occipital cortex within the default mode network (DMN) that exhibited greater within-network connectivity in migraineurs relative to controls. Additional clusters located in the visual and attention networks showed differential whole-brain connectivity between groups, characterized by increased cross-network coupling with the attention, control, and visual networks in the migraine group. Further significant clusters were also identified within the control and limbic networks.Conclusion
These findings indicate that migraine-related network connectivity differences were observed during the negative valence/high arousal film condition, but not during the positive valence/high arousal or neutral valence/low arousal conditions. Taken together, these results suggest that migraine is associated with network-level differences during more true-to-life emotional processing.
Related
- Multivariate connectivity deviations reveal task-evoked and clinical network reorganization
- Multivariate prediction of white matter BOLD activity and its relationship to marginal connectivity
- Age-group differences in the N170 response during Chinese character processing in children aged 7–11 years: a cross-sectional event-related potential study
- Neural Signatures of Impulsivity in Adolescence: A Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Reward and Loss Processing
- Rethinking Gender Differences in Camouflaging: Multivariate Associations Across Compensation, Masking, and Assimilation
BibTeX
@article{klamer2026migrainerelated,
title = {{Migraine-related differences in connectivity patterns during emotional audiovisual processing revealed by functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis.}},
author = {Keva Klamer and Joshua Craig and Christina Haines and KiAnna Sullivan and Shaylyn Kress and Jane O'Connor and Peter Seres and Chelsea Ekstrand},
journal = {The journal of headache and pain},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s10194-026-02470-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958011},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Migraine-related differences in connectivity patterns during emotional audiovisual processing revealed by functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis.
AU - Keva Klamer
AU - Joshua Craig
AU - Christina Haines
AU - KiAnna Sullivan
AU - Shaylyn Kress
AU - Jane O'Connor
AU - Peter Seres
AU - Chelsea Ekstrand
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - The journal of headache and pain
DO - 10.1186/s10194-026-02470-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958011
AB - Background Migraine is a complex neurobiological disorder characterized by recurrent headache attacks accompanied by sensory, cognitive, autonomic, and affective symptoms. Migraine has been associated with alterations in visual and auditory processing, as well as increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli both during and between attacks. Migraine has also been associated with increased sensitivity to the arousal and valence of emotional stimuli, though this relationship is not well understood. The present study investigates how migraine influences large-scale network interactions during complex emotional audiovisual processing.Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected from 22 migraineurs and 21 healthy controls during the passive viewing of three audiovisual films (negative valence/high arousal; positive valence/high arousal; neutral valence/low arousal). Functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis (fc-MVPA) identified distributed connectivity patterns that differentiated the groups.Results During the negative valence, high-arousal condition, fc-MVPA identified a cluster in the superior lateral occipital cortex within the default mode network (DMN) that exhibited greater within-network connectivity in migraineurs relative to controls. Additional clusters located in the visual and attention networks showed differential whole-brain connectivity between groups, characterized by increased cross-network coupling with the attention, control, and visual networks in the migraine group. Further significant clusters were also identified within the control and limbic networks.Conclusion These findings indicate that migraine-related network connectivity differences were observed during the negative valence/high arousal film condition, but not during the positive valence/high arousal or neutral valence/low arousal conditions. Taken together, these results suggest that migraine is associated with network-level differences during more true-to-life emotional processing.
SN - 1129-2369
SN - 1129-2377
ER -