Striped T-shirts and zebras could trigger migraines

Certain kinds of patterns and animals can trigger migraines.

Researchers at the University Medical Centre (UMC) Utrecht in the Netherlands found that some people get bad headaches after looking at certain black and white patterns, so everyday objects such as barcodes and building designs can be especially triggering.

The repetition of designs overwhelms the brains of people who are photosensitive in a process called gamma oscillation. It can be avoided by altering stripe patterns by extending the width of the lines in the pattern or changing the colors.

In severe cases, the patterns can lead to epilepsy, which is a disorder that causes seizures when nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed.

Scientists are now researching which train stations, skylines and interior designs can cause migraines and seizures.