Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is characterized by altered functional brain connectivity of the insular cortex: A cross-comparison with migraine and healthy adults

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2017 Jun;29(6):10.1111/nmo.13004. doi: 10.1111/nmo.13004. Epub 2016 Dec 1.

Abstract

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) has been linked to episodic migraine, yet little is known about the precise brain-based mechanisms underpinning CVS, and whether these associated conditions share similar pathophysiology. We investigated the functional integrity of salience (SLN) and sensorimotor (SMN) intrinsic connectivity networks in CVS, migraine and healthy controls using brain functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. CVS, relative to both migraine and controls, showed increased SLN connectivity to middle/posterior insula, a key brain region for nausea and viscerosensory processing. In contrast, this same region showed diminished SMN connectivity in both CVS and migraine. These results highlight both unique and potentially shared pathophysiology between these conditions, and suggest a potential target for therapeutics in future studies.

Keywords: Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome; brain imaging; functional Magnetic Resonance; imaging; migraine.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Migraine Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Sensorimotor Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Sensorimotor Cortex / physiopathology
  • Vomiting / physiopathology*

Supplementary concepts

  • Familial cyclic vomiting syndrome