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Migraine is a prevalent disorder, affecting 15.1% of the world's population. In most cases, the migraine attacks are sporadic; however, some individuals experience a gradual increase in attack frequency over time, and up to 2% of the general population develop chronic migraine. The mechanisms underlying this chronicity are unresolved but are hypothesized to involve a degree of inflammation. In this article, we review the relevant literature related to inflammation and migraine, from the initiation of attacks to chronification. We propose that the increase in migraine frequency leading to chronic migraine involves neurogenic neuroinflammation, possibly entailing increased expression of cytokines via activation of protein kinases in neurons and glial cells of the trigeminovascular system. We present evidence from preclinical research that supports this view and discuss the implications for migraine therapy.
Learn More >Almotriptan, a serotonin 5-HT agonist has been used in the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura for 20 years, accumulating data on more than 15,000 patients in studies and from an estimated >150 million treated migraine attacks in daily clinical practice. The last major review of almotriptan was written almost 10 years ago. The current narrative review provides an overview of the experience gained with almotriptan over that time, and highlights data published in the last decade. Areas covered: Randomized clinical trials, observational studies, postmarketing studies and meta-analyses involving almotriptan for the treatment of acute migraine identified through a systematic literature search. Expert opinion: Triptans are a mainstay of anti-migraine treatment. Findings with ALT over the last 10 years have reinforced the positive efficacy and tolerability results that were reported during the first 10 years following its introduction. In particular, more recent clinical results have confirmed its efficacy in women with menstrual migraine, the usefulness of early intervention, long-term benefit in adults, and also its efficacy and safety in adolescents. Overall, ALT can be considered an optimal choice for managing acute migraine resistant to first-line drugs.
Learn More >Non-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve has been proposed as a new neuromodulation therapy to treat primary headache disorders, as the vagus nerve is hypothesized to modulate the headache pain pathways in the brain. Vagus nerve stimulation can be performed by placing an electrode on the ear to stimulate the tragus nerve, which contains about 1% of the vagus fibers. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) conventionally refers to stimulation of the cervical branch of the vagus nerve, which is made up entirely of vagal nerve fibers. While used interchangeably, most of the research to date has been performed with nVNS or an implanted vagus nerve stimulation device. However, the exact mechanism of action of nVNS remains hypothetical and no clear overview of the effectiveness of nVNS in primary headache disorders is available.
Learn More >To describe long-term treatment patterns in migraine patients initiating prophylactic therapy and to evaluate acute medication use and adverse events associated with opioids.
Learn More >Deep brain stimulation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA-DBS) has provided remarkable therapeutic benefits in decreasing headache frequency and severity in patients with medically refractory chronic cluster headache (CH). However, to date the effects of VTA-DBS on cognition, mood and quality of life have not been examined in detail.
Learn More >We present long-term follow-up results and analysis of stimulation sites of a prospective cohort study of six patients with chronic cluster headaches undergoing deep brain stimulation of the ipsilateral posterior hypothalamic region.
Learn More >The underlying causes of migraine headache remained enigmatic for most of the 20th century. In 1979, The Lancet published a novel hypothesis proposing an integral role for the neuropeptide-containing trigeminal nerve. This hypothesis led to a transformation in the migraine field and understanding of key concepts surrounding migraine, including the role of neuropeptides and their release from meningeal trigeminal nerve endings in the mechanism of migraine, blockade of neuropeptide release by anti-migraine drugs, and activation and sensitisation of trigeminal afferents by meningeal inflammatory stimuli and upstream role of intense brain activity. The study of neuropeptides provided the first evidence that antisera directed against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P could neutralise their actions. Successful therapeutic strategies using humanised monoclonal antibodies directed against CGRP and its receptor followed from these findings. Nowadays, 40 years after the initial proposal, the trigeminovascular system is widely accepted as having a fundamental role in this highly complex neurological disorder and provides a road map for future migraine therapies.
Learn More >The importance of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in migraine pathogenesis is well established. Fremanezumab is a humanized IgG2a monoclonal antibody that binds to CGRP. Areas covered: In this paper we review the development of fremanezumab, from early development into approval. The authors focus on the efficacy and safety of fremanezumab in both migraine stages. The authors highlight studies conducted in special populations and focus on unique aspects of its development, as well as on clinical pearls supported by the data. Expert opinion: Fremanezumab was shown to be effective in episodic and chronic migraine, with a monthly and quarterly dose of administration, as monotherapy and add-on therapy. As with other monoclonal antibodies, anti-CGRP onset of action was remarkably quick, and the effect seems to be maintained over time. No overt safety concerns emerged from the clinical studies, although long term surveillance is necessary.
Learn More >To assess conditioned pain modulation efficiency in persons with and without migraine headaches.
Learn More >Migraine is a common and severely disabling neurological disorder affecting millions of patients in Europe. Despite the availability of evidence-based national and international guidelines, the management of migraine patients often remains poor, which is often attributed to a low availability of headache specialists. The aim of this study was to investigate the adherence to national guidelines and to assess the possible potential of optimized therapy regimens in migraine patients.
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