title: Apomorphine-induced yawning in migraine patients: enhanced responsiveness.
abstract: Migraine patients usually exhibit hypersensitivity to dopaminergic agonists, but the tests used (such as the so called "piribedil test") preferentially assess the sensitivity of the peripheral dopaminergic receptors. Apomorphine-induced yawning may be useful in the evaluation of central dopaminergic receptor sensitivity. Nine migraine patients were included in an age- and sex-matched control study. They had been without treatment for 1 month and free of a migraine attack for at least 7 days. Apomorphine hydrochloride (5 micrograms/kg) was administered subcutaneously, and yawning was recorded by two observers. The cumulative number of yawns as a function of time was studied. The comparison of the regression graphs showed a significant difference between migraine patients and controls. Migraine patients exhibited enhanced responsiveness to apomorphine challenge. This finding supports the hypothesis of a constant central dopaminergic hypersensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Clinique des Maladies due Système Nerveux et de l'Appareil Locomoteur, CHU Timone, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Azulay
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aubrespy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serratrice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015000:Yawning / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001058:Apomorphine