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What causes migraines? - Marianne Schwarz

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A throbbing, pounding headache. Bright zigzagging lines across your field of vision. Sensitivity to light, lingering fatigue, disrupted sleep. While an incapacitating headache is one of the most common symptoms, a migraine can include any of these experiences. So what exactly is a migraine? And what causes it? Marianne Schwarz explores what we know— and don't know— about this complex disorder.

The changes in charge (cortical spreading depolarization) are felt to cause the auras during migraine and can affect many parts of the cerebral hemispheres. What are some other possible symptoms of aura that could occur if the change in charge spreads over different parts of the cerebral hemispheres?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Marianne Schwarz
  • Director Bálint Gelley, CUB Animation Ltd.
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer
  • Storyboard Artist Daniel Gray
  • Animator Rebeka Király, Iván Tamás
  • Compositor Iván Tamás
  • Art Director Anna Tőkés
  • Music József Iszlai
  • Sound Designer József Iszlai
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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