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Researchers reveal a potential mechanism for migraine causation which could explain why聽women聽get more migraines than men. Their study, published in聽, suggests that sex聽hormones聽affect cells around the trigeminal nerve and connected blood vessels in the head, with estrogens 鈥� at their highest levels in women of reproductive age 鈥� being particularly important for sensitising these cells to migraine triggers. The finding provides scientists with a promising new route to personalised treatments for migraine patients.

鈥淲e can observe significant differences in our experimental migraine model between males and females and are trying to understand the molecular correlates responsible for these differences,鈥� explained Professor Antonio Ferrer-Montiel聽from the Universitas Miguel Hern谩ndez, Spain. 鈥淎lthough this is a complex process, we believe that modulation of the trigeminovascular system by sex hormones plays an important role that has not been properly addressed.鈥�

Ferrer-Montiel and his team reviewed decades of literature on sex hormones, migraine sensitivity and cells鈥� responses to migraine triggers to identify the role of specific hormones. Some (like testosterone) seem to protect against migraines, while others (like prolactin) appear to make migraines worse. They do this by making the cells鈥� ion channels, which control the cells鈥� reactions to outside stimuli, more or less vulnerable to migraine triggers.

Some hormones need much more research to determine their role. However, estrogen stands out as a key candidate for understanding migraine occurrence. It was first identified as a factor by the greater prevalence of migraine in menstruating women and the association of some types of migraine with period-related changes in hormone levels. The research team鈥檚 evidence now suggests that estrogen and changes in estrogen levels sensitise cells around the trigeminal nerve to stimuli. That makes it easier to trigger a migraine attack.

However, Ferrer-Montiel cautions that their work is preliminary. The role of estrogen and other hormones in migraine is complex and much more research is needed to understand it. The authors emphasise the need for longitudinal studies focusing on the relationship between menstrual hormones and migraines. Their current work relies on in vitro and animal models, which aren鈥檛 easy to translate to human migraine sufferers.

Nonetheless, Ferrer-Montiel and his colleagues see a promising future for migraine medication in their current findings. They intend to continue their research using pre-clinical, human-based models which better reflect real patients.

鈥淚f successful, we will contribute to better personalised medicine for migraine therapy,鈥� he said.

The research is part of a special article collection on聽.

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/Laurin Rinder

Originally published