Volumetric MRI Analysis of the Pineal Gland and Brain Ventricles in Migraine Patients

Aim: Although it has been reported that melatonin levels are reduced and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure is elevated in migraine patients, the volumetric characteristics of the pineal gland, which is the primary source of melatonin, and the brain ventricles, which serve as CSF reservoirs, have not been sufficiently investigated. This study analyzed the volumes of the pineal gland and brain ventricles in migraine patients. Methods: A total of 21 migraine patients and 22 age and sex matched healthy individuals participated in the study. Brain volumetric analyses were performed using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pineal gland volumes were manually segmented and measured using ITK-SNAP software, while ventricular volumes were automatically computed using volBrain software. All volumetric values were expressed in cubic centimeters (cm³). Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS, R, and JASP software packages. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of age (p=0.730), gender distribution (p=0.420), or body mass index (p=0.082). The pineal gland volume was smaller in the migraine group. A covariance analysis (ANCOVA) controlling for total intracranial volume confirmed that this reduction was highly significant (F(1, 39)=34.95, p