Digital phenotyping of migraine aura
7 affiliations
- 1Department of Life Sciences and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University
- 2Advanced Health Intelligence and Brain-inspired Technologies (ADEPT), Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD), Oslo Metropolitan University
- 3Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade
- 4Laboratório de Morfogênese Celular (LMC), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
- 5Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociência Translacional (PGNET), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
- 6Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina (Radiologia), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
- 7Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina (Anatomia Patológica), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Abstract
Migraine aura is a transient, focal neurological phenomenon, characterized by evolving visual, somatosensory, language, and, to a lesser extent, motor disturbances, among other symptoms that reflect dynamic alterations in brain function, involving not only cortical, but also subcortical structures. Despite advances in understanding its neurobiology, including the role of cortical spreading depolarization, migraine aura remains incompletely characterized. This is most likely because of its unpredictable onset, brief duration, individual and symptom variability, and reliance on retrospective clinical assessment. Consequently, its temporal evolution and biological heterogeneity remain to be fully elucidated. Digital phenotyping has emerged as a framework for characterizing health and disease through continuous real-world data collected using personal digital technologies. Here we examine the rationale for considering the potential application of digital phenotyping to migraine aura. We argue that aura’s unique biological and temporal characteristics can make it a suitable choice for continuous multidimensional assessment. Integrating patient-reported symptoms with physiological, behavioral, and environmental data may improve phenotypic resolution. Consequently, it may help advance mechanistic understanding and capture within-person variability. Therefore, we present a conceptual framework alongside the methodological and translational challenges of digital phenotyping, including implementation-related challenges. Rather than replacing established clinical and neurobiological approaches, digital phenotyping is presented as a complementary framework that, if rigorously validated, could potentially advance our understanding of aura and migraine aura research, support the institution and consolidation of precision headache medicine, and facilitate patient care.
Related
- Clinical Phenotypes, Neuroimaging, and Outcomes in Prolonged and Persistent Non-Motor Migraine Aura: A Systematic Review and Episode-Level Synthesis
- Structural alterations in the superior temporal gyrus associated with depressive symptoms in migraine without aura: a voxel-based morphometry and surface-based morphometry magnetic resonance imaging study
- Compartment-specific redox modulation in migraine with aura: a systematic review of context-dependent mechanisms.
- PFOCUS study protocol: a prospective case–control study investigating genetic, haemodynamic, and platelet function in migraine with aura with or without patent foramen ovale
- PO141 | PLASMA METABOLOMIC PROFILING IDENTIFIES PLATELET-RELATED METABOLIC CHANGES AFTER PFO CLOSURE IN MIGRAINE WITH AURA
BibTeX
@article{gazerani2026digital,
title = {{Digital phenotyping of migraine aura}},
author = {Parisa Gazerani and Igor Petrušić and Marcos Fabio DosSantos},
journal = {Frontiers in Neurology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fneur.2026.1967778},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1967778/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Digital phenotyping of migraine aura
AU - Parisa Gazerani
AU - Igor Petrušić
AU - Marcos Fabio DosSantos
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Frontiers in Neurology
DO - 10.3389/fneur.2026.1967778
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1967778/full
AB - Migraine aura is a transient, focal neurological phenomenon, characterized by evolving visual, somatosensory, language, and, to a lesser extent, motor disturbances, among other symptoms that reflect dynamic alterations in brain function, involving not only cortical, but also subcortical structures. Despite advances in understanding its neurobiology, including the role of cortical spreading depolarization, migraine aura remains incompletely characterized. This is most likely because of its unpredictable onset, brief duration, individual and symptom variability, and reliance on retrospective clinical assessment. Consequently, its temporal evolution and biological heterogeneity remain to be fully elucidated. Digital phenotyping has emerged as a framework for characterizing health and disease through continuous real-world data collected using personal digital technologies. Here we examine the rationale for considering the potential application of digital phenotyping to migraine aura. We argue that aura’s unique biological and temporal characteristics can make it a suitable choice for continuous multidimensional assessment. Integrating patient-reported symptoms with physiological, behavioral, and environmental data may improve phenotypic resolution. Consequently, it may help advance mechanistic understanding and capture within-person variability. Therefore, we present a conceptual framework alongside the methodological and translational challenges of digital phenotyping, including implementation-related challenges. Rather than replacing established clinical and neurobiological approaches, digital phenotyping is presented as a complementary framework that, if rigorously validated, could potentially advance our understanding of aura and migraine aura research, support the institution and consolidation of precision headache medicine, and facilitate patient care.
SN - 1664-2295
ER -