High-field MR Imaging in Migraine, Visual Snow and Epilepsy

ClinicalTrials.gov ID

NCT05524493

Lead Sponsor

University of ZurichOTHER

Overall Status

Recruiting

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment

200Estimated

Last Update Posted

Oct 8, 2025Actual

Start Date

Mar 1, 2025Actual

Primary Completion Date

Jun 30, 2026Estimated

Completion Date

Jun 30, 2026Estimated

Official Title

High-field MR Imaging in Migraine, Visual Snow and Epilepsy

Brief Summary

In this project, the aim is to recruit patients with drug resistant epilepsy and those suffering from migraine. Interestingly, patients suffering from epilepsy are also more often reporting to suffer from migraine. The pathobiology is understudied, but it is believed that both etiologies results from brain networks changes. A clinical certified 7T Terra Siemens scanner will be employed to assess in all participants (including healthy controls) how the microstructure differs in disease specific areas. Patients will further be clinically assessed as well as undergo questionnaires.

Migraine is also a common comorbidity to visual snow syndrom and has been shown to impact similar brain regions. However, the pathophysiology is still understudied and a better understanding of the two diseases is needed.

• Migraine
• Epilepsy
• Visual Snow Syndrome

• Structural MRI
• Quantitative MRI
• Diffusion MRI
• fMRI
• MR Spectroscopy

Ages Eligible for Study

Adult (18-64)Older Adult (65+)

Sexes Eligible for Study

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients:

• Patient must be able to read and sign the informed consent form
• Stable prophylactic medication for 2 months prior to MRI
• At leat one of the two criteria applies:
• Patients diagnosed with migraine (with or without aura, episodic or chronic). Diagnosis is ensured by clinical interview (at least 8 weeks prior to MRI). Also, patients complete a migraine questionnaire (HARDSHIP) (at least 8 weeks before MRI). Migraine frequency ≥ 2 migraine attacks/month.
• Patients with drug resistent epilepsy accroding to ILAE crtieria
• Patients with diagnoses of Visual snow syndrome

Healthy participants;

• No migraine (validated by questionnaire) or epilepsy
• Participants must be able to read and sign the informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

• Treatment of migraine disease with Botox within < 4 months before baseline and during the study period
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Intention during the course of the trial to become pregnant
• Women with bilateral ovariectomy, with or without hysterectomy, and postmenopausal women (>2 years of age) are not considered childbearing.
• Other clinically significant comorbidities (e.g., renal insufficiency, hepatic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, etc.),
• Known or suspected noncompliance with the protocol, drug or alcohol abuse,
• Patient's inability to follow trial procedures, e.g., due to language problems, mental illness, dementia, etc.,
• Prior participation in the clinical trial
• Enrolment of the investigator, his/ her family members, employees and other dependent persons of the test personnel
• Metallic objects in the body (e.g., splinters, MR incompatible implants).
• Pacemaker
• Claustrophobia
• Obesity (body mass index > 35 kg/m2)

Observational Model

Cohort

Time Perspective

Prospective

Lead Sponsor

University of ZurichOTHER

Collaborators

Balgrist University HospitalOTHER

lars.michels@usz.ch+41 44 255 49 65

• MIBRAIN - Migraine and the Brain: Consequences, Causes, and Vascular Interaction

  NCT01803984

  TerminatedObservationalUpdated Jun 18, 2020
• Noninvasive Pre-surgical Evaluation of Patients With Focal Epilepsy and Establishment of a Normative Imaging Database

  NCT02107989

  RecruitingObservationalUpdated Sep 8, 2026
• Structural and Molecular Neuroplasticity in Migraine

  NCT03004313

  CompletedInterventionalNot ApplicableUpdated Nov 24, 2017
• Neurostimulation in Chronic and Episodic Migraine

  NCT03237754

  TerminatedInterventionalNot ApplicableUpdated Aug 28, 2020
• Bridging Gaps in the Neuroimaging Puzzle: New Ways to Image Brain Anatomy and Function in Health and Disease Using Electroencephalography and 7 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging

  NCT05769933

  Unknown statusObservationalUpdated Mar 15, 2023
• Investigating Brain Function in People With and Without Visual Snow Syndrome Using Adaptation to Visual Stimuli

  NCT06961864

  RecruitingInterventionalNot ApplicableUpdated Jan 14, 2026