A migraine is a specific kind of painful headache that involves the vascular system of the brain. Migraines occur when the arteries spasm and then constrict, sending out waves of pain. Various neurotransmitters in the brain are responsible, in part, for migraines. Variations in the way in which the brain releases and absorbs neurotransmitters may be genetic and related to the development of migraines. A closer look at brain chemicals, including dopamine, provides more information regarding the etiology and treatment of migraine headaches.
The Role of Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It is in the class of neurotransmitters called catecholamines and is responsible for regulation of movement and emotion. Though dopamine has long been suspected to play a role in migraines, research showing the exact link was lacking. In 2006 scientists in Italy published a study in the journal "Headache" that better defined the role of dopamine in migraines. In their project, they measured the plasma and platelet levels of dopamine in migraine patients with and without aura and compared the results to a control group. They found that the platelet levels of dopamine were higher in both groups of migraine sufferers than in the control group. This suggests that there may be some underlying disturbance in the dopamine levels of people who experience migraines.
Dopamine and Genetics
Since research suggests that the dopamine system is dysfunctional to some extent in patients with migraines, and that migraine headaches tend to run in families, scientists have studied whether specific genes are responsible for dopamine dysregulation and therefore migraines. In 2009 researchers in Germany wanted to investigate if there were genes that made people vulnerable to migraines because of the dopamine issues. The researchers reviewed 10 different genes in a group of migraine patients and compared them to genes in normal control groups. Their results, which were published in the journal "Human Genetics," found at least two gene-related differences in the transporter systems for dopamine in individuals with migraines. Such data supports the idea that migraines have a genetic component that may be based on underlying dopamine dysfunction.
Migraines and Epilepsy: A Dopamine Connection
One of the ways researchers begin to think about the roles of various neurotransmitters in diseases is by looking at similarities between conditions where the association with certain chemicals is known. Epilepsy and migraines share common traits, and the role of dopamine in epilepsy has long been established. To further explore this connection, scientists at the National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan conducted a study looking at the role of dopamine in both disorders. They published their results in the journal "Medical Hypotheses" and explained that the way epilepsy and migraines impact the individual at the neurochemical level suggests that changes in dopamine levels negatively affect hormonal systems, the autonomic nervous system and general neuronal activity.
Treatment Implications
Since the role of dopamine in migraines remains complex, it is difficult to base a comprehensive treatment plan on the chemical alone. However, dopamine receptor antagonists are prescribed in the treatment of acute migraine quite regularly. A dopamine receptor antagonist is any agent that effectively keeps the brain from being able to absorb dopamine, therefore keeping away the excitatory impulses that can lead to a headache. Researchers will continue to discover how dopamine can influence treatment as they better understand its exact role in migraines.
References
- "Human Genetics;" New Genetic Evidence for Involvement of the Dopamine System in Migraine with Aura; U Todt, et al.; March 2009
- "Medical Hypotheses;" Epilepsy and Migraine: The Dopamine Hypotheses; SC Chen; March 2006
- "Headache;" Platelet Levels of Dopamine are Increased in Migraine and Cluster Headache; D G'Andrea, et al.; April 2006
