Intact neurovascular coupling during executive function in migraine without aura: Interictal near-infrared spectroscopy study

Abstract

An altered neurovascular coupling has been proposed in migraine. We aimed to investigate neurovascular coupling during a mental task interictally in patients with migraine without aura (MO) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Twelve migraineurs and 12 healthy controls were included. Using NIRS, we recorded the magnitude and latency of cortical changes in oxyhaemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhaemoglobin (Hb) during the colour-word matching Stroop test via 16 channels covering the forehead. We found no differences in the magnitude of responses between migraineurs and healthy subjects in the incongruent Stroop task subtracted by the neutral Stroop task on either side of the frontal cortex for HbO2 (left, P = 0.984; right, P = 0.406) or Hb (left, P = 0.689; right, P = 0.406) values. No differences in error rate ( P = 0.611) or reaction time ( P = 0.936) were found between healthy subjects and MO patients for incongruent tasks. The present study suggests that vascular reactivity and oxygen supply during a mental task in patients with MO are intact interictally.