title: Chemical mediators of migraine: preclinical and clinical observations.
abstract: Migraine is a neurovascular disorder, and although the pathophysiology of migraine has not been fully delineated, much has been learned in the past 50 years. This knowledge has been accompanied by significant advancements in the way migraine is viewed as a disease process and in the development therapeutic options. In this review, we will focus on 4 mediators (nitric oxide, histamine, serotonin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide) which have significantly advanced our understanding of migraine as a disease entity. For each mediator we begin by reviewing the preclinical data linking it to migraine pathophysiology, first focusing on the vascular mechanisms, then the neuronal mechanisms. The preclinical data are then followed by a review of the clinical data which support each mediator's role in migraine and highlights the pharmacological agents which target these mediators for migraine therapy.
authors.affiliation: Glostrup Research Institute, Glostrup Hospital, Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark. SAUGUP01@glo.regionh.dk
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Nahas
authors.forename: B Lee
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Peterlin
mesh_terms: D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000502:physiology; D006632:Histamine / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012701:Serotonin; D006632:Histamine; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide