Nitric oxide is a key molecule in migraine and other vascular headaches.
Nitric oxide (NO) may play a key role in migraine and other vascular headaches since glyceryl trinitrate (a donor of NO) and histamine (which probably activates endothelial NO formation) both cause a pulsating dose-dependent headache with several migrainous characteristics. At relatively high doses of glyceryl trinitrate, migraine sufferers develop stronger and more migraine-like headaches and more pronounced cerebral arterial dilatation than controls. After the infusion of glyceryl trinitrate, non-migraineurs remain headache-free while migraineurs develop a migraine-like attack. In this review, Jes Olesen, Lars Thomsen and Helle Iversen suggest that migraine may be caused by increased amounts and/or affinity of an enzyme in the NO-triggered cascade of reactions. NO may also be involved in the pathogenesis of other vascular headaches.
Olesen
J
J
Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
Thomsen
L L
LL
Iversen
H
H
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006632:Histamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000009:adverse effects
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006632:Histamine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D005996:Nitroglycerin