Resting cranial and upper cervical muscle activity is increased in patients with migraine.

Objective: To compare comprehensive measures of scalp-recorded muscle activity in migraineurs and controls.

Method: We used whole-of-head high-density scalp electrical recordings, independent component analysis (ICA) and spectral slope of the derived components, to define muscle (electromyogram-containing) components. After projecting muscle components back to scalp, we quantified scalp spectral power in the frequency range, 52-98 Hz, reflecting muscle activation.

The Role of the Trigemino Cervical Complex in Chronic Whiplash Associated Headache: A Cross Sectional Study.

Objective: To investigate signs of central sensitization in a cohort of patients with chronic whiplash associated headache (CWAH).

Background: Central sensitization is one of the mechanisms leading to chronicity of primary headache, and thus might contribute to CWAH. However, the pathophysiological mechanism of CWAH is poorly understood and whether it is simply an expression of the primary headache or has a distinct pathogenesis remains unclear.

Cervical referral of head pain in migraineurs: effects on the nociceptive blink reflex.

Objective: To investigate cervical, interictal reproduction of usual head pain and its effect on the nociceptive blink reflex in migraineurs.

Background: Anatomical and neurophysiological studies in animals and humans have confirmed functional convergence of trigeminal and cervical afferent pathways. Migraineurs often present with occipital and neck symptoms, and cervical pain is referred to the head in most cases, suggesting that cervical afferent information may contribute to headache.

Head pain referral during examination of the neck in migraine and tension-type headache.

Objective: To investigate if and to what extent typical head pain can be reproduced in tension-type headache (TTH), migraine without aura sufferers, and controls when sustained pressure was applied to the lateral posterior arch of C1 and the articular pillar of C2, stressing the atlantooccipital and C2-3 segments respectively.

Background: Occipital and neck symptoms often accompany primary headache, suggesting involvement of cervical afferents in central pain processing mechanisms in these disorders. Referral of head pain from upper cervical structures is made possible by convergence of cervical and trigeminal nociceptive afferent information in the trigemino-cervical nucleus.