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Seizures and migraines How strips can endanger your health
Almost one in ten Germans suffers from migraine. The severe symptoms are triggered, among other things by various triggers such as stress, pronounced emotions or overexertion. Researchers have now found that even looking at stripes could be responsible for migraines.
Various triggers for migraine
Anyone who suffers from migraines is often downright out of action. Typical are throbbing, hammering and one-sided headache. Often, other complaints such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness and loss of appetite are added. In addition, many sufferers are noisy and sensitive to light. There are several factors (triggers) that can trigger migraines. It is well known that sudden stress, hormonal changes, pronounced emotions or over-exertion and fatigue can lead to the symptoms. As researchers now report, the pain can also be triggered by stripes.
Stress, overexertion, hormonal changes: Migraines can be triggered by different triggers. Researchers have now discovered that discomfort can also be caused by looking at streaks. (Image: pathdoc / fotolia.com) Strips can cause headaches
Be it the patterns of a shirt, barcodes, zebra stripes, blinds, lawn patterns or building facades: everywhere we see stripes. For some people, this can obviously lead to health problems.
As researchers from the University Hospital (UMC) Utrecht (Netherlands) and New York University (USA) have now discovered, observing stripe patterns can trigger neuronal activity in the brain that leads to epileptic seizures in susceptible individuals.
The scientists assume that it could also be responsible for migraine.
According to a report in the British newspaper Telegraph, the study authors assume that streaks on clothing, buildings or public artworks could cause headaches, especially in people who are already sensitive to light.
Even strips of radiators, escalators, awnings or deckchairs could lead to seizures or an unpleasant feeling.
Even healthy people can feel uncomfortable
"Our findings suggest that it may be important in building design to avoid the types of visual patterns that can activate this circuit and cause discomfort, migraines or seizures," Dr. Dora Hermes from the University Hospital (UMC) Utrecht in the Netherlands.
"Even completely healthy people can feel mild discomfort with the pictures."
It has been known for some time that flickering or bright lights can trigger epileptic seizures or migraines. But now for the first time was determined by scientists that certain still images can have a similar influence.
"The vertical orientation of the stripes is generally worse than horizontal," Dr. Dorothée Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité of UMC Utrecht.
"Examples of striped patterns that are potentially provocative in everyday life are escalators, blinds, striped clothes, and buildings."
The scientists published their findings in the journal "Current Biology".
They hypothesize that the reason why streaks can be detrimental is due to a particular pattern of neuronal activity in the brain, known as gamma oscillations.
Among experts, however, is controversial whether gamma oscillations are essential for perception and neuronal communication or whether they are a byproduct of brain function. (Ad)