title: MTHFR T677 homozygosis influences the presence of aura in migraineurs.
abstract: It has been suggested that folate metabolism could be involved in migraine pathogenesis. We analysed the 5',10'-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotypic distribution in a large migraine sample. We genotyped 230 migraine patients (152 migraine without aura (MO) and 78 migraine with aura (MA)) and 204 nonheadache controls. The incidence of TT homozygosis for migraine in general (12%), MO (9%) and MA (18%) did not significantly differ from that found in healthy controls (13%). Differences were significant when the frequency of TT homozygosis between MA and MO (P = 0.03, OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.04-5.26) was compared. There was a tendency for a higher frequency of the MTHFR T allele in the MA group (42%) as compared to MO (29%) and controls (36%). These differences were significant only in the case of MA vs. MO (P = 0.006, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.15-2.65). These results could indicate that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism, causing mild hyperhomocystinaemia, might be a genetic risk factor for experiencing aura among migraineurs. Overall, however, there was no association between migraine and the C677T MTHFR polymorphism.
authors.affiliation: Service of Neurology, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain. oterinoa@unican.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oterino
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Velasco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Alegría
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leyva-Cobián
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vadillo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pascual
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D020326:Migraine without Aura / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio
chemical_list: D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)