title: Methionine-enkephalin in migraine and tension headache. Differences between classic migraine, common migraine and tension headache, and changes during attacks.
abstract: We measured methionine-enkephalin (MET) in platelets and platelet-poor-plasma of drug-free patients with classic migraine, common migraine or tension headache (TH). Migraineurs were studied both between and during attacks. TH patients were characterized by low platelet-MET and high plasma-MET levels, whereas migraine patients showed high platelet-MET and reduced plasma-MET levels. During migraine attacks both platelet and plasma-MET concentrations increased considerably. We suggest that determination of MET levels in platelets and plasma may be a useful marker to discriminate between TH and common migraine. The rise in MET during attacks may be directed against the ictal increase of serotonin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odink
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frölich
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Portielje
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Bruyn
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000097:blood*; D006261:Headache / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine