After analyzing 19 studies on this subject, researchers say that migraines can permanently change the brain and cause damage.

Migraine episodes are not only painful and unpleasant, but they could also leave long-term damage to your brain. A study from the University of Waterloo, Canada, carried out on 680 people over the age of 65 shows that migraines are a “significant risk factor” for forms of dementia in general and Alzheimer’s disease in particular .

A previous study, published in the American journal Neurology, already specified that headaches can cause lasting changes such as brain damage, white matter abnormalities or even an alteration in brain volume.

This new study in turn emphasizes the long-term consequences of these brain damage. However, the scientists still acknowledge certain limits to their research. Among them is the fact that the participants themselves reported the onset of migraine symptoms rather than receiving a medical diagnosis.

In addition, the study does not distinguish between migraine with and without aura, yet some studies suggest that the cognitive consequences of migraine with aura are more serious.