TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitric oxide supersensitivity

T2 - a possible molecular mechanism of migraine pain

AU - Olesen, J

AU - Iversen, Helle Klingenberg

AU - Thomsen, L L

PY - 1993/8

Y1 - 1993/8

N2 - Nitroglycerin, which may be regarded as a prodrug for nitric oxide, induces a mild to moderate headache in healthy subjects. In order to study whether migraine patients are more sensitive to nitric oxide than non-migrainous subjects, four different doses of intravenous nitroglycerin were given in a double blind design to 17 migraine patients, 17 age and sex matched healthy controls and 9 subjects with tension-type headache. The nitroglycerin-induced headache was significantly more severe in migraine sufferers, lasted longer and fulfilled diagnostic criteria for migraine more often. We have previously shown a similar supersensitivity to histamine which in human cerebral arteries activates endothelial H1 receptors and causes endothelial production of nitric oxide. Migraine patients are thus supersensitive to exogenous nitric oxide from nitroglycerin as well as to endothelially produced nitric oxide. It is suggested that nitric oxide may be partially or completely responsible for migraine pain.

AB - Nitroglycerin, which may be regarded as a prodrug for nitric oxide, induces a mild to moderate headache in healthy subjects. In order to study whether migraine patients are more sensitive to nitric oxide than non-migrainous subjects, four different doses of intravenous nitroglycerin were given in a double blind design to 17 migraine patients, 17 age and sex matched healthy controls and 9 subjects with tension-type headache. The nitroglycerin-induced headache was significantly more severe in migraine sufferers, lasted longer and fulfilled diagnostic criteria for migraine more often. We have previously shown a similar supersensitivity to histamine which in human cerebral arteries activates endothelial H1 receptors and causes endothelial production of nitric oxide. Migraine patients are thus supersensitive to exogenous nitric oxide from nitroglycerin as well as to endothelially produced nitric oxide. It is suggested that nitric oxide may be partially or completely responsible for migraine pain.

KW - Adult

KW - Dose-Response Relationship, Drug

KW - Female

KW - Headache

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Migraine Disorders

KW - Muscle Contraction

KW - Nitric Oxide

KW - Reference Values

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 8241457

VL - 4

SP - 1027

EP - 1030

JO - NeuroReport

JF - NeuroReport

SN - 0959-4965

IS - 8

ER -