--- title: Do women with menstrual migraines have different brain responses to flashing lights at different cycle times? description: Yes, during the low-hormone phase, women with migraines showed different brain blood flow to flashing lights than control women, but not during the high-hormo url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/perfusion-changes-with-photic-stimulation-during-two-phases-of-the-menstrual-2003/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with menstrual migraines have different brain responses to flashing lights at different cycle times? Study, 2003 # Do women with menstrual migraines have different brain responses to flashing lights at different cycle times? Yes, during the low-hormone phase, women with migraines showed different brain blood flow to flashing lights than control women, but not during the high-hormone phase. This small pilot study needs confirmation. Early or limited evidence 5 women with menstrual migraine and 5 women without migraine ## What they did This was a pilot study of 10 women tested at two points in their menstrual cycle. Five women had menstrual migraines, and five did not. Researchers measured blood flow in the vision area of the brain while women looked at flashing lights. Testing happened at the late luteal phase (high hormone levels) and the mid-follicular phase (low hormone levels). ## What they found During the high-hormone phase, both groups had similar blood flow changes in the vision area during flashing lights. During the low-hormone phase, women with menstrual migraines showed increased blood flow during flashing lights, while women without migraines showed decreased blood flow. At rest, baseline blood flow was the same between groups at both cycle phases. ## What it means for you Women with menstrual migraines may have different brain responses to visual triggers at certain points in their cycle, which could explain why some women get migraines during specific cycle phases. The sample was very small (5 women per group), so findings need confirmation in larger studies. 5 Women with menstrual migraine 5 Control women 2 Menstrual cycle phases tested ## About the study Original title Perfusion changes with photic stimulation during two phases of the menstrual cycle: a pilot study comparing controls and true menstrual migraine patients Authors Ances BM, Detre JA Journal Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache Year 2003 Study design Study Participants 5 What was tested Flashing lights presented during two menstrual cycle phases Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2003.00625.x](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2003.00625.x) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2023 What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy? Cohort study, 2022 Can women accurately tell if they have period-related migraines, or do they need to track them? Guideline, 2021 How should migraine be managed in women, particularly menstrual migraine? Randomised trial, 2016 Does telcagepant prevent migraines during the menstrual period? Randomised trial, 2014 Does the combination of sumatriptan and naproxen sodium reduce menstrual symptoms and migraine? Randomised trial, 2005 Does sumatriptan work for migraines around the menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗