A new nonvascular interpretation of syncopal migraine.
Migraine suffers who experience spontaneous syncopes (syncopal migraine) during attacks exhibit a dramatic intolerance to bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist. An oral dose of this drug renders these patients unable to stand, even for some hours, because of precipitously falling of arterial blood pressure. Treatment with domperidone, a specific dopamine receptor antagonist, abolishes the syncopal effect of bromocriptine. This evidence is compatible with a supersensitivity of those dopamine receptors, which exert an inhibiting activity and are located on blood pressure regulating centers as well as on cardiovascular sympathergic neurons.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004294:Domperidone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology*
D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D001971:Bromocriptine; D004294:Domperidone