Alterations of the alpha rhythm in visual snow syndrome: a case-control study
Abstract
Background Visual snow syndrome is a disorder characterized by the combination of typical perceptual disturbances. The clinical picture suggests an impairment of visual filtering mechanisms and might involve primary and secondary visual brain areas, as well as higher-order attentional networks. On the level of cortical oscillations, the alpha rhythm is a prominent EEG pattern that is involved in the prioritisation of visual information. It can be regarded as a correlate of inhibitory modulation within the visual network. Methods Twenty-one patients with visual snow syndrome were compared to 21 controls matched for age, sex, and migraine. We analysed the resting-state alpha rhythm by identifying the individual alpha peak frequency using a Fast Fourier Transform and then calculating the power spectral density around the individual alpha peak (+/- 1 Hz). We anticipated a reduced power spectral density in the alpha band over the primary visual cortex in participants with visual snow syndrome. Results There were no significant differences in the power spectral density in the alpha band over the occipital electrodes (O1 and O2), leading to the rejection of our primary hypothesis. However, the power spectral density in the alpha band was significantly reduced over temporal and parietal electrodes. There was also a trend towards increased individual alpha peak frequency in the subgroup of participants without comorbid migraine. Conclusions Our main finding was a decreased power…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
Read the paper
Related studies
- In silico strategies for modeling RNA aptamers and predicting binding sites of their molecular targets
- Folic acid-hydrophilic polymer coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles target doxorubicin delivery
- Anti-phytopathogenic and plant growth promoting potential of endophytic fungi isolated from Dysoxylum gotadhora
- Mercury toxicity causes iron and sulfur deficiencies along with oxidative injuries in alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
- Suppression of lncRNA GAS6-AS2 alleviates sepsis-related acute kidney injury through regulating the miR-136-5p/OXSR1 axis in vitro and in vivo
- Assessing the Protective Effect of Moringa oleifera Extract against Bone Metastasis: An In Vitro Simulated Digestion Approach
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.