No Evidence of Reduced Contrast Sensitivity in Migraine-with-Aura for Large, Narrowband, Centrally Presented Noise-Masked Stimuli

Abstract

Individuals with migraine aura show differences in visual perception compared to control groups. Measures of contrast sensitivity have suggested that people with migraine aura are less able to exclude external visual noise, and that this relates to higher variability in neural processing. The current study compared contrast sensitivity in migraine with aura and control groups for narrow-band grating stimuli at 2 and 8 cycles/degree, masked by Gaussian white noise. We predicted that contrast sensitivity would be lower in the migraine with aura group at high noise levels. Contrast sensitivity was higher for the low spatial frequency stimuli, and decreased with the strength of the masking noise. We did not, however, find any evidence of reduced contrast sensitivity associated with migraine with aura. We propose alternative methods as a more targeted assessment of the role of neural noise and excitability as contributing factors to migraine aura.

No Evidence of Cross-Orientation Suppression Differences in Migraine with Aura Compared to Healthy Controls

“…These findings of increased masking effects in MA do not suggest a lack of inhibition. However, Asher et al [77] failed to demonstrate noise-masking in MA for a Gabor patch against white noise background. There are several differences between the studies, those finding increased masking in MA used a luminance-defined stimulus [62,63,76], whereas Asher et al [77] used a contrast-defined stimulus.…”

“…However, Asher et al [77] failed to demonstrate noise-masking in MA for a Gabor patch against white noise background. There are several differences between the studies, those finding increased masking in MA used a luminance-defined stimulus [62,63,76], whereas Asher et al [77] used a contrast-defined stimulus. In the current study, we used a contrast-defined stimulus, and found no differences, and so it is possible that it is luminance-defined stimuli that are important to differentiate those with migraine from controls.…”

On interference between target and noise in visual stimuli

“…Typically the adding of noise has a deleterious effect on the performance on the task in question (Attwell et al, 2021;Beattie et al, 2011;Dakin et al, 2018;Dewhurst et al, 2018;Emadi & Esteki, 2013;Hall et al, 2014;Kuboki et al, 2017;Mareschal et al, 2010;Milner & Michalski, 2003;Pelli et al, 2004). The effect of visual noise has commonly been attributed to factors in the visual system or has been discussed in relation to such factors (e.g., Asher et al, 2021;Attwell et al, 2021;Cropper et al, 2020;Dakin et al, 2018;Emadi & Esteki, 2013;Hall et al, 2014;Hall & McAnany, 2017;Jones et al, 2003;Kruger et al, 1986;Kuboki et al, 2017;Legge et al, 1987;Luber et al, 2020;Pardhan et al, 1996;Quinlan & Allen, 2018;Rainer et al, 2004;Salmela & Laurinen, 2009;Stuke et al 2021). However, it has become clear that in the case of stimuli containing several stimulus elements, such as, e.g., in the case of visual masking and visual crowding, there may be interference between the elements (Skottun, 2018a, b, c, d).…”