Nitric oxide is a key molecule in migraine and other vascular headaches.

Abstract

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.

• Authors: J Olesen, L L Thomsen, H Iversen
• Journal: Trends in pharmacological sciences (Trends Pharmacol Sci) Vol. 15 Issue 5 Pg. 149-53 (May 1994) ISSN: 0165-6147 [Print] England
• PMID: 7538702 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Nitric Oxide
• Histamine
• Nitric Oxide Synthase
• Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
• Nitroglycerin

Topics

• Amino Acid Oxidoreductases (metabolism)
• Cerebrovascular Circulation (physiology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Headache (etiology, metabolism)
• Histamine (adverse effects, metabolism)
• Humans
• Migraine Disorders (etiology, metabolism)
• Nitric Oxide (metabolism)
• Nitric Oxide Synthase
• Nitroglycerin (adverse effects)