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Pensato U, Cevoli S, Pierangeli G, Cortelli P. The evolutionary meaning of migraine. Cephalalgia 2023; 43:3331024231209303. [PMID: 38041827 DOI: 10.1177/03331024231209303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Migraine's astonishing prevalence and preserved genetic background contrast with the definition of a disease and the biological meaning of experiencing recurrent, severe headache attacks is still puzzling. METHODS To provide a comprehensive explanation of the migraine evolutionary meaning, we review (i) the putative role of the autonomic nervous system in migraine attacks, (ii) the inter-ictal autonomic, functional, and metabolic signature of migraine patients, (iii) the bio-behavioral perspective of pain, and (iv) the allostatic perception of migraine chronification. RESULTS Migraineurs have inter-ictal cortical hyperexcitability and metabolic dysfunction that predisposes to brain energetic imbalance. Multiple precipitating factors may lead to brain energy consumption over the migraine attack generation threshold. In response, the brain engenders adaptive, evolutionary conserved, autonomic-behavior responses through the antidromic activation of the trigeminovascular system. The sickness behavior and severe pain experienced during migraine attacks result in avoiding mental and physical activity, allowing brain energy restoration. Chronic exposure to stressors may result in an allostatic overload, leading to maladaptive chronic activation of these responses. In this bio-behavioral perspective, the chronification of migraine should be envisioned as a pathological process, whereas the migraine itself should not. CONCLUSION Migraine has an evolutionary (Darwinian) meaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Pensato
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Sabina Cevoli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Pierangeli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM); University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pietro Cortelli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM); University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Kowalska M, Prendecki M, Piekut T, Kozubski W, Dorszewska J. Migraine: Calcium Channels and Glia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2688. [PMID: 33799975 PMCID: PMC7962070 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a common neurological disease that affects about 11% of the adult population. The disease is divided into two main clinical subtypes: migraine with aura and migraine without aura. According to the neurovascular theory of migraine, the activation of the trigeminovascular system (TGVS) and the release of numerous neuropeptides, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are involved in headache pathogenesis. TGVS can be activated by cortical spreading depression (CSD), a phenomenon responsible for the aura. The mechanism of CSD, stemming in part from aberrant interactions between neurons and glia have been studied in models of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM), a rare monogenic form of migraine with aura. The present review focuses on those interactions, especially as seen in FHM type 1, a variant of the disease caused by a mutation in CACNA1A, which encodes the α1A subunit of the P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kowalska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355 Poznan, Poland; (M.K.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Michał Prendecki
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355 Poznan, Poland; (M.K.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Thomas Piekut
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355 Poznan, Poland; (M.K.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Wojciech Kozubski
- Chair and Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Jolanta Dorszewska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355 Poznan, Poland; (M.K.); (M.P.); (T.P.)
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Quintas M, Neto JL, Sequeiros J, Sousa A, Pereira-Monteiro J, Lemos C, Alonso I. Going Deep into Synaptic Vesicle Machinery Genes and Migraine Susceptibility - A Case-Control Association Study. Headache 2020; 60:2152-2165. [PMID: 32979221 DOI: 10.1111/head.13957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A number of observations, including among our study population, have implicated variants in the syntaxin-1A, a component of the synaptic vesicles, in migraine susceptibility. Therefore, we hypothesize that variants in other components of the vesicle machinery are involved in migraine. BACKGROUND Migraine is a common and complex neurologic disorder that affects approximately 15-18% of the general population. The exact cause of migraine is unknown; however, genetic studies have made possible substantial progress toward the identification of underlying molecular pathways. Neurotransmitters have been for long considered to have a key role in migraine pathophysiology; so we investigated common variants in genes involved in the synaptic vesicle machinery and their impact in migraine susceptibility. METHODS We performed a case-control study comprising 188 unrelated patients with headache and 286 healthy controls in a population from the north of Portugal. Benefiting from the presence of linkage disequilibrium, we selected and genotyped 119 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 18 genes. RESULTS We found significant associations between single-nucleotide variants and migraine in 7 genes, SYN1, SYN2, SNAP25, VAMP2, STXBP1, STXBP5, and UNC13A, either conferring an increased risk or protection of migraine. Due to SYN1 X-chromosomal location, we performed the statistical analysis separated by gender and, in the female group, the C allele of rs5906435 increased the risk for migraine susceptibility (P = .021; OR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.21-2.34). In contrast, the TT genotype of the same variant emerged as a potential protective factor (P = .003; OR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.27-0.74). The SYN2 analysis supported the rs3773364's G allele (P = .014) as a risk factor for migraine, and although not statistically significant after correction, the AG genotype (P = .006; OR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.20-2.90) reinforced the allelic findings. Additionally, we found the SNAP25-rs363039's CT genotype (P = .001; OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.36-3.34), the STXBP5-rs1765028's T allele (P = .041; OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13-1.90), and the UNC13B-rs7851161's TT genotype (P = .001; OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.36-3.34) as statistically significant risk factors for migraine liability. VAMP2-rs1150's G allele revealed a risk association to migraine, not statistically significant after correction (P = .068). Additionally, we found haplotypes in SYN1, SYN2, STXBP1, and UNC13B to be associated with migraine. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study provides a new insight into migraine liability, identifying possible starting points for functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Quintas
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Luís Neto
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge Sequeiros
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alda Sousa
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Pereira-Monteiro
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carolina Lemos
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Alonso
- UnIGENe, IBMC - Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Thompson DF, Saluja HS. Prophylaxis of migraine headaches with riboflavin: A systematic review. J Clin Pharm Ther 2017; 42:394-403. [PMID: 28485121 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE Migraine headache is a relatively common, debilitating condition that costs our healthcare system over 78 billion dollars per year. Riboflavin has been advocated as a safe, effective prophylactic therapy for the prevention of migraines. The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic review of the current role of riboflavin in the prophylaxis of migraine headache. METHODS A MEDLINE literature search inclusive of the dates 1966-2016 was performed using the search terms: riboflavin and migraine disorders. Excerpta Medica was searched from 1980 to 2016 using the search terms: riboflavin and migraine. Additionally, Web of Science was searched using the terms riboflavin and migraine inclusive of 1945-2016. Bibliographies of all relevant papers were reviewed for additional citations. We utilized the PRISMA guidelines to select English language, human, clinical trials of riboflavin as a single entity or in combination, review articles, and supporting pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomic data assessing the efficacy and mechanism of riboflavin therapy in the prophylactic treatment of migraine headache. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 11 clinical trials reveal a mixed effect of riboflavin in the prophylaxis of migraine headache. Five clinical trials show a consistent positive therapeutic effect in adults; four clinical trials show a mixed effect in paediatric and adolescent patients, and two clinical trials of combination therapy have not shown benefit. Adverse reactions with riboflavin have generally been mild. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION Riboflavin is well tolerated, inexpensive and has demonstrated efficacy in the reduction of adult patient's migraine headache frequency. Additional data are needed, however, to resolve questions involving pharmacokinetic issues and pharmacogenomic implications of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- D F Thompson
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, USA
| | - H S Saluja
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, USA
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Guidetti V, Faedda N, Siniatchkin M. Migraine in childhood: biobehavioural or psychosomatic disorder? J Headache Pain 2016; 17:82. [PMID: 27619362 PMCID: PMC5016316 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-016-0675-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well documented that headache is a multifactorial disorder which includes not only genetic, biological, medical and neuropsychological factor but also psychological and personality traits. The close relationship between stress and migraine attacks and the significant psychiatric comorbidities in migraine provide evidence of a “paradigm” of tight interaction between somatic and psychological aspects in paediatric migraine. In particular in younger children, an uncomfortable situation, a psychological problem or an emotional distress is rarely expressed directly but usually through physical symptoms. So migraine may be considered as a disorder of psychobiological adaptation in which genetic predisposition interplays with internal and/or external environmental influences such as psycho-emotional, climatic, hormonal, dietary or other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Guidetti
- Department of Pediatric and Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Sabelli, 108, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Noemi Faedda
- Department of Pediatric and Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Sabelli, 108, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Siniatchkin
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
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Kowalska M, Prendecki M, Kozubski W, Lianeri M, Dorszewska J. Molecular factors in migraine. Oncotarget 2016; 7:50708-50718. [PMID: 27191890 PMCID: PMC5226615 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a common neurological disorder that affects 11% of adults worldwide. This disease most likely has a neurovascular origin. Migraine with aura (MA) and more common form - migraine without aura (MO) - are the two main clinical subtypes of disease. The exact pathomechanism of migraine is still unknown, but it is thought that both genetic and environmental factors are involved in this pathological process. The first genetic studies of migraine were focused on the rare subtype of MA: familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM). The genes analysed in familial and sporadic migraine are: MTHFR, KCNK18, HCRTR1, SLC6A4, STX1A, GRIA1 and GRIA3. It is possible that migraine is a multifactorial disease with polygenic influence.Recent studies have shown that the pathomechanisms of migraine involves both factors responsible for immune response and oxidative stress such as: cytokines, tyrosine metabolism, homocysteine; and factors associated with pain transmission and emotions e.g.: serotonin, hypocretin-1, calcitonin gene-related peptide, glutamate. The correlations between genetic variants of the HCRTR1 gene, the polymorphism 5-HTTLPR and hypocretin-1, and serotonin were observed. It is known that serotonin inhibits the activity of hypocretin neurons and may affect the appearance of the aura during migraine attack.The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of migraine, including genotype-phenotype correlations, may contribute to finding markers important for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kowalska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Michał Prendecki
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wojciech Kozubski
- Chair and Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Margarita Lianeri
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jolanta Dorszewska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Sehgal SA, Hassan M, Rashid S. Pharmacoinformatics elucidation of potential drug targets against migraine to target ion channel protein KCNK18. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2014; 8:571-81. [PMID: 24899801 PMCID: PMC4038526 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s63096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Migraine, a complex debilitating neurological disorder is strongly associated with potassium channel subfamily K member 18 (KCNK18). Research has emphasized that high levels of KCNK18 may be responsible for improper functioning of neurotransmitters, resulting in neurological disorders like migraine. In the present study, a hybrid approach of molecular docking and virtual screening were followed by pharmacophore identification and structure modeling. Screening was performed using a two-dimensional similarity search against recommended migraine drugs, keeping in view the physicochemical properties of drugs. LigandScout tool was used for exploring pharmacophore properties and designing novel molecules. Here, we report the screening of four novel compounds that have showed maximum binding affinity against KCNK18, obtained through the ZINC database, and Drug and Drug-Like libraries. Docking studies revealed that Asp-46, Ile-324, Ile-44, Gly-118, Leu-338, Val-113, and Phe-41 are critical residues for receptor–ligand interaction. A virtual screening approach coupled with docking energies and druglikeness rules illustrated that ergotamine and PB-414901692 are potential inhibitor compounds for targeting KCNK18. We propose that selected compounds may be more potent than the previously listed drug analogs based on the binding energy values. Further analysis of these inhibitors through site-directed mutagenesis could be helpful for exploring the details of ligand-binding pockets. Overall, the findings of this study may be helpful for designing novel therapeutic targets to cure migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Arslan Sehgal
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mubashir Hassan
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Rashid
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Quintas M, Neto JL, Pereira-Monteiro J, Barros J, Sequeiros J, Sousa A, Alonso I, Lemos C. Interaction between γ-aminobutyric acid A receptor genes: new evidence in migraine susceptibility. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74087. [PMID: 24040174 PMCID: PMC3764027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a common neurological episodic disorder with a female-to-male prevalence 3- to 4-fold higher, suggesting a possible X-linked genetic component. Our aims were to assess the role of common variants of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR) genes, located in the X-chromosome, in migraine susceptibility and the possible interaction between them. An association study with 188 unrelated cases and 286 migraine-free controls age- and ethnic matched was performed. Twenty-three tagging SNPs were selected in three genes (GABRE, GABRA3 and GABRQ). Allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies were compared between cases and controls. We also focused on gene-gene interactions. The AT genotype of rs3810651 of GABRQ gene was associated with an increased risk for migraine (OR: 4.07; 95% CI: 1.71-9.73, p=0.002), while the CT genotype of rs3902802 (OR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.21-0.78, p=0.006) and GA genotype of rs2131190 of GABRA3 gene (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32-0.88, p=0.013) seem to be protective factors. All associations were found in the female group and maintained significance after Bonferroni correction. We also found three nominal associations in the allelic analyses although there were no significant results in the haplotypic analyses. Strikingly, we found strong interactions between six SNPs encoding for different subunits of GABAAR, all significant after permutation correction. To our knowledge, we show for the first time, the putative involvement of polymorphisms in GABAAR genes in migraine susceptibility and more importantly we unraveled a role for novel gene-gene interactions opening new perspectives for the development of more effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Quintas
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Luís Neto
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Pereira-Monteiro
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Serviço de Neurologia, CHP-HSA, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Hospital de Santo António. Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Barros
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Serviço de Neurologia, CHP-HSA, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Hospital de Santo António. Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge Sequeiros
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alda Sousa
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Alonso
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carolina Lemos
- UnIGENe IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Gasparini CF, Sutherland HG, Griffiths LR. Studies on the pathophysiology and genetic basis of migraine. Curr Genomics 2013; 14:300-15. [PMID: 24403849 PMCID: PMC3763681 DOI: 10.2174/13892029113149990007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system causing painful attacks of headache. A genetic vulnerability and exposure to environmental triggers can influence the migraine phenotype. Migraine interferes in many facets of people's daily life including employment commitments and their ability to look after their families resulting in a reduced quality of life. Identification of the biological processes that underlie this relatively common affliction has been difficult because migraine does not have any clearly identifiable pathology or structural lesion detectable by current medical technology. Theories to explain the symptoms of migraine have focused on the physiological mechanisms involved in the various phases of headache and include the vascular and neurogenic theories. In relation to migraine pathophysiology the trigeminovascular system and cortical spreading depression have also been implicated with supporting evidence from imaging studies and animal models. The objective of current research is to better understand the pathways and mechanisms involved in causing pain and headache to be able to target interventions. The genetic component of migraine has been teased apart using linkage studies and both candidate gene and genome-wide association studies, in family and case-control cohorts. Genomic regions that increase individual risk to migraine have been identified in neurological, vascular and hormonal pathways. This review discusses knowledge of the pathophysiology and genetic basis of migraine with the latest scientific evidence from genetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lyn R Griffiths
- Genomics Research Centre, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Building G05, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY QLD 4222, Australia
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de Tommaso M, Ceci E, Pica C, Trojano M, Delussi M, Franco G, Livrea P, Ruggieri M. Serum levels of N-acetyl-aspartate in migraine and tension-type headache. J Headache Pain 2012; 13:389-94. [PMID: 22527035 PMCID: PMC3381063 DOI: 10.1007/s10194-012-0448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2012] [Accepted: 03/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Serum levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) may be considered a useful marker of neuronal functioning. We aimed to measure serum NAA in cohorts of migraine and tension-type headache patients versus controls, performing correlations with main clinical features. A total of 147 migraine patients (including migraine without aura, with aura and chronic migraine), 65 tension-type headache (including chronic and frequent episodic tension-type headache) and 34 sex- and age-matched controls were selected. Serum was stored at -80 °C. Quantification of NAA was achieved by the standard addition approach and analysis was performed with liquid-chromatography-mass-spectrometry (LC/MS) technique. The NAA levels were significantly decreased in migraine group (0.065 ± 0.019 mol/L), compared with both tension-type headache patients (0.078 ± 0.016 mol/L) and controls (0.085 ± 0.013 mol/L). Control subjects were significantly different from migraine with and without aura and chronic migraine, who differed significantly from episodic and chronic tension-type headache. Migraine with aura patients showed lower NAA levels when compared to all the other headache subtypes, including migraine without aura and chronic migraine. In the migraine group, no significant correlation was found between NAA serum levels, and headache frequency, allodynia and interval from the last and the next attack. The low NAA in the serum may be a sign of neuronal dysfunction predisposing to migraine, probably based on reduced mitochondria function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina de Tommaso
- Neuroscience and Sensory System Department, Bari Aldo Moro University, Policlinico General Hospital, Neurological Building, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
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D'Andrea G, D'Arrigo A, Dalle Carbonare M, Leon A. Pathogenesis of migraine: role of neuromodulators. Headache 2012; 52:1155-63. [PMID: 22671857 DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02168.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of migraine is still, today, a hotly debated issue. Recent biochemical studies report the occurrence in migraine of metabolic abnormalities in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. These include a metabolic shift directing tyrosine metabolism toward the decarboxylation pathway, therein resulting in an unphysiological production of noradrenaline and dopamine along with increased synthesis of traces amines such as tyramine, octopamine, and synephrine. This biochemical alteration is possibly favored by impaired mitochondrial function and high levels of glutamate in the central nervous system (CNS) of migraine patients. The unbalanced levels of the neurotransmitters (dopamine and noradrenaline) and neuromodulators (eg, tyramine, octopamine, and synephrine) in the synaptic dopaminergic and noradrenergic clefts of the pain matrix pathways may activate, downstream, the trigeminal system that releases calcitonin gene-related peptide. This induces the formation of an inflammatory soup, the sensitization of first trigeminal neuron, and the migraine attack. In view of this, we propose that migraine attacks derive from a top-down dysfunctional process that initiates in the frontal lobe in a hyperexcitable and hypoenergetic brain, thereafter progressing downstream resulting in abnormally activated nuclei of the pain matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni D'Andrea
- Research and Innovation S.p.A., Research Division, Via Svizzera 16, Padua, Italy
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Polymorphisms of the SCN1A gene in children and adolescents with primary headache and idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy: is there a linkage? J Headache Pain 2011; 12:435-41. [PMID: 21713554 PMCID: PMC3139068 DOI: 10.1007/s10194-011-0359-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Accepted: 06/07/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of the polymorphisms of the SCN1A gene in a series of children and adolescents with primary headache and idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy compared to controls. Five non-synonymous exonic polymorphisms (1748A > T, 2656T > C, 3199A > G, 5771G > A, 5864T > C) of the SCN1A gene were selected and their genotyping was performed, by high resolution melting (HRM), in 49 cases and 100 controls. We found that among the five polymorphisms, only 3199A > G was a true polymorphism. We did not find a statistically significant difference between distribution of 3199A > G genotypes between cases and controls. We excluded the role of the SCN1A gene in the pathogenesis of comorbidity between headache (especially migraine) and epilepsy. The SCN1A gene is a major gene in different epilepsies and epilepsy syndromes; the HRM could be the new methodology, more rapid and efficacious, for molecular analysis of the SCN1A gene.
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D'Andrea G, Leon A. Pathogenesis of migraine: from neurotransmitters to neuromodulators and beyond. Neurol Sci 2010; 31 Suppl 1:S1-7. [PMID: 20464574 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-010-0267-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Here, in this review, we present our hypothesis of the migraine pathogenesis. We believe that migraine attacks derive from a top-down dysfunctional process that initiates in a hyperexcitable and hypoenergetic brain in the frontal lobe and downstream in abnormally activated nuclei of the pain matrix. This hypothesis derived from the results of the biochemical studies, mainly generated from our laboratory, on the possible metabolic shifts of tyrosine toward an activation of decarboxylase enzyme activity with an increased synthesis of traces amines, i.e. tyr, oct and syn, and an unphysiological synthesis of noradrenalin and dopamine. This metabolic shift is possibly favored by the reduced mitochondrial energy and high levels of glutamate in CNS of migraine patients. The unbalanced levels of neurotransmitters (DA and NE) and neuromodulators (tyr, oct and syn) in the synaptic dopaminergic and noradrenergic clefts of the pain matrix may activate, downstream, the trigeminal system that releases calcitonin gene-related G peptide. This induces the formation of an inflammatory soup, the sensitization of first trigeminal neuron and the migraine attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- G D'Andrea
- Headache Center of Villa Margherita Neurologic Clinic, 36057, Arcugnano, Vicenza, Italy.
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Montagna P, Pierangeli G, Cortelli P. The primary headaches as a reflection of genetic darwinian adaptive behavioral responses. Headache 2009; 50:273-89. [PMID: 20039962 DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01584.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to present a view of the primary headaches as genetically determined behavioral responses consistent with sickness behavior and defense reaction, respectively. BACKGROUND AND DESIGN A review of the literature bearing on the behavioral, humoral, and functional imaging aspects of the primary headaches shows that migraine and cluster headache (CH) are pain conditions characterized by different behaviors during the attacks. Here it is postulated that the behavioral responses to migraine and CH are evolutionary conserved reactions consistent with sickness behavior and defense reaction. RESULTS The sickness behavior observed during migraine attacks is a pan-mammalian adaptive response to internal and external stressors, characterized by withdrawal and motor quiescence, sympatho-inhibition and lethargy, in which visceral pain signals a homeostatic imbalance of the body and/or brain. In contrast, the defense reaction in CH consists of a fight-or-flight reaction, with motor restlessness and agitation, in which pain is exteroceptive in kind. CONCLUSION These different behavioral responses are thus specific to different kinds of pain, distinguished by the behavioral significance of the pain (visceral pain in migraine vs exteroceptive pain in CH), and imply brain matrices involving different networks in the brainstem, hypothalamus, and forebrain regions that engender evolutionarily conserved adaptive genetic responses. Cytokines play an important role in their development. Predictions and limitations of the hypothesis are discussed together with implications for genetic studies on headaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Montagna
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna Medical School, Bologna, Italy
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