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Gray Matter Decrease in Patients With Chronic
Tension Type Headache
Schmidt-Wilcke T, Leinisch E, Straube A, et al.
Posted: July 2006  
Neurology 2005;65:1483-1486

Using MRI and voxel-based morphometry, the authors investigated 20 patients with chronic tension type headache (CTTH) and 20 patients with medication-overuse headache and compared them to 40 controls with no headache history. Only patients with CTTH demonstrated a significant gray matter decrease in regions known to be involved in pain processing. The finding implies that the alterations are specific to CTTH rather than a response to chronic head pain or chronification per se.