Neurology: What can a roller coaster tell scientists what migraine is?

Researchers also found that when migraine sufferers ride a virtual roller coaster, certain areas of the brain have more nerve cell activity and less activity in other areas

Study author Arne May, MD from the University of Hamburg, Germany, said: “Millions of people often experience painful and debilitating migraines, which may reduce their quality of life

The study compared 20 people with migraines and 20 people without migraines

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brain of each participant while they watched the video to experience the virtual roller coaster

Researchers found that 65% of migraine patients experienced dizziness, while only 30% of patients without migraine

Using brain scans, researchers can identify changes in nerve cell activity based on blood flowing to specific areas of the brain

"The other obvious area of ​​nerve cell activity that we found in the brains of migraine patients is the nucleus pontine, which helps regulate movement and other motor activities," May said

This research was supported by the German Research Foundation

Gabriela Carvalho, Jan Mehnert, Hauke ​​Basedau, Kerstin Luedtke, Arne May.