(June 23, 2009 - Insidermedicine) Women who experience migraines with aura during midlife are at increased risk for developing lesions in their brain late in life, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here is some information on migraine headaches:

•    They are a severe type of headache that usually last for hours or even days and often return on a regular basis

•    Some migraines are preceded by a sensory warning system known as an aura

•    Auras can include seeing flashes of light, blind spots, or numbness and tingling in the arm or leg

Researchers from Uniformed Services University followed over 4,500 adults, and when these individuals reached midlife, they were examined and asked about symptoms of migraine. Later in life, they underwent brain scanning using MRI. Those who reported migraines once a month or more were also asked additional questions about their symptoms, including nausea and signs of aura.

Those who reported migraine with aura in midlife were 40% more likely to have lesions in their brains similar to those seen among older individuals. However, this association was only present among women who experienced migraine headaches with an aura in midlife. Among these women, the increased risk for brain lesions later in life was 90%.

Today’s research provides evidence that, among women, migraine with aura is associated with blood vessel disease in the brain.

For Insidermedicine In Depth, I'm Dr. Kelly Schweitzer