Abstract
The role of nitric oxide (NO) in migraine has been studied in the experimental glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)-infusion headache model. We hypothesized that GTN-induced headache may activate the trigeminovascular system and be associated with increased levels of sensory neuropeptides, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and somatostatin plasma levels were measured before and after placebo/sumatriptan injection and during GTN-induced headache. Following a double-blind randomized cross-over design, 10 healthy volunteers received subcutaneous sumatriptan 6 mg or placebo. This was succeeded by 20 min of GTN (0.12 µg kg(-1) min(-1)) infusion. At baseline no subject reported headache (using verbal rating scale from 0 to 10) and the jugular CGRP-like immunoreactivity (-LI) level was 18.6 ± 2.5 pmol/l. After a 20-min intravenous infusion of GTN 0.12 µg kg(-1) min(-1), median peak headache intensity was 4 (range 2-6) (P < 0.05), while jugular CGRP-LI levels were unchanged (19.0 ± 2.8 pmol/l; P > 0.05). There were no changes in VIP-, NPY- or somatostatin-LI. In conclusion, the NO donor GTN appears not to induce headache via immediate CGRP release.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 467-74 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISSN | 0333-1024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2010 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
- Cross-Over Studies
- Female
- Headache
- Humans
- Male
- Neuropeptide Y
- Nitric Oxide
- Nitric Oxide Donors
- Nitroglycerin
- Reference Values
- Somatostatin
- Sumatriptan
- Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
- Vasoconstrictor Agents