Cluster belly: a variant of irritable bowel syndrome

Is there an Association between Migraine and Gastrointestinal Disorders?

Migraine is a primary episodic headache disorder that represents a substantial burden and disability worldwide. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and remains hitherto poorly elucidated. An interesting but less-well-known association is that between migraine and gastrointestinal disorders. We have reviewed the literature for relevant papers reporting on the clinical association between migraine and gastrointestinal symptoms. Several studies have shown different gastrointestinal diseases to be associated with migraine, but the underlining pathophysiology remains elusive. The data gathered and analyzed have shown great variability across studies, making it impossible to draw definitive conclusions. Further research is required to elucidate this potential relationship. An understanding of the relationship between migraine and gastrointestinal disorders is of great clinical importance for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

What the Gut Can Teach Us About Migraine

During gestation, cells of the brain and gut develop almost simultaneously into the central nervous system (CNS) and enteric nervous system (ENS), respectively. They remain connected via the vagal nerve lifelong. While it is well known that the brain sends signal to the gut, communication is in fact bidirectional. Just as the brain can modulate gut functioning, the gut, and likely what we ingest, can in fact influence our brain functioning. We will first review both gastrointestinal (GI) function and migraine pathophysiology and then discuss evidence linking the migraine brain to various GI disorders. Lastly, we discuss the effects of gut microbiota on brain functioning and speculate how the gut and particularly diet may affect migraine.