A study published in the journal Neurology revealed that a group of researchers conducted an interesting event to find out the mystery behind migraines. As per the notes in the journal, they strapped in 40 people for a simulated roller coaster ride in which half of them were regular migraine patients.
The virtual roller coaster rides didn’t cause a migraine to anyone, but scientists found that the migraine-prone participants reported more motion sickness and dizziness compared to the other half. Researchers also discovered that migraine-inclined participants had more nerve cell activity in some areas of the brain and less in other areas during the ride.
Paper co-author Arne May, a professor at the University of Hamburg in Germany, said that “By identifying and pinpointing these changes, our research could lead to a better understanding of migraine, which could, in turn, lead to the development of better treatments,”
The participants of the simulated roller coaster ride were laid inside a scanner with earphones plugged. They watched simulations for half an hour and heard the car’s friction on the rail and viewed animated scenes leading upward, downward, left, and right.
“Future research should now look at larger groups of people with migraine to see if our findings can be confirmed,” May said in the release. Meanwhile, before I pass judgment on a virtual version of a roller coaster again, I’ll remember how it could potentially unravel migraine mysteries.
