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Migraine Hallucinations: Brain Overload Mystery Solved?
14 Nov
Summary
- Scientists are studying why migraines trigger hallucinations and visual distortions.
- Some visual auras may occur without the person realizing it's a migraine.
- Research uses pattern glare and brain simulations to understand migraines.
A team of Lancashire scientists, led by neuroscientist Jason Braithwaite at Lancaster University, is conducting a four-year study to unravel the mysteries behind migraine-induced hallucinations and visual distortions. This research seeks to understand why the brain may become "overloaded" with information, leading to phenomena like visual aura.
Braithwaite notes that many people experience these visual auras, which can include flickering, shimmering, or bending of objects, without recognizing them as migraine symptoms. The study employs "pattern glare," a method that uses specific visual patterns to trigger perceptual disturbances in participants.
Using laboratory facilities, including those in Barcelona, the team creates detailed 3D brain scans. They also conduct electric brain simulations by applying weak currents to the scalp, identifying areas of heightened reactivity. This sophisticated approach aims to understand individual brain responses to sensory stimulation.
The research also distinguishes between different types of visual auras. While distortions like flickering are common, "fortification hallucinations," characterized by pulsating zigzag shapes, are a diagnostic precursor to a migraine headache, often signaling an impending attack within one to three hours.
