Migraines may cause brain damage, scientists say

MIGRAINE headaches may cause progressive brain damage and increase the risk of stroke, research suggests.

Scientists have found evidence people who suffer from migraine have damage in an area of the brain called the cerebellum. And the more frequent the migraine attacks, the higher the risk of damage.

The research, by a team from Leiden University in The Netherlands, is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers say their findings seem to refute the commonly held perception that migraine is essentially a trivial problem with transient symptoms. They hope their work may lead to better treatments, which may prevent cumulative damage to the brain. It is estimated that 12% of the population of Western Europe suffer from migraine attacks.