Background: Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headaches and sensory hypersensitivities such as photophobia and phonophobia.
Objective: This study investigates quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) patterns in migraine patients with and without aura (MWA and MWO) during a true interictal phase to identify neurophysiological biomarkers associated with clinical symptoms.
Method: Resting-state EEG recordings were obtained from 19 patients with MWO, 17 with MWA, and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. EEG data from 19 scalp electrodes (10–20 system) were recorded under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions, preprocessed to remove artifacts, and analyzed using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to compute absolute power across delta, theta, alpha, beta, and high-beta frequency bands. Z-scored QEEG values were derived using NeuroGuide software. Group comparisons were performed with independent-sample t-tests, and correlations between spectral power and clinical symptoms were assessed using Spearman’s rank-order correlation.
Results: QEEG analysis revealed significant increases in delta, theta, and high-beta power in migraine patients, especially MWA, compared to healthy controls. Following False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction, posterior slow-wave alterations remained significant in MWA (q < 0.05). Delta and theta power exhibited strong correlations with headache intensity, while reduced alpha power was linked to photophobia.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that cortical hyperexcitability and thalamocortical dysrhythmia play central roles in the pathophysiology of migraine. QEEG biomarkers, while still exploratory, may offer valuable insights for the objective diagnosis and monitoring of migraine, potentially guiding targeted non-invasive therapies. However, further studies are needed to confirm their clinical utility and reliability in larger, diverse cohorts.