A headband delivering electrical nerve stimulation can prevent onset of migraine headaches and can be marketed for that purpose in the U.S., the FDA said Tuesday. Called Cefaly, the Belgian-made device is the first to win FDA approval for migraine prevention and is also the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) system OK’d for any…
Migraine was linked to structural brain changes, particularly in the presence of aura, a meta-analysis showed. White matter brain lesions appeared 68% more often in migraineurs with aura than in those without migraine; a trend for 34% elevated risk of white matter in migraine patients without aura didn’t reach significance, Messoud Ashina, MD, PhD, of…
Positron emission tomography of patients experiencing the premonitory phase of migraine, prior to the headache setting in, shows activation in several areas of the brain, indicating that migraine is a brain disorder and not a response to pain stimuli. The results are significant in terms of understanding the neurobiology of migraine and could have future…
The pathogenesis of migraine is still, today, a hotly debated issue. Recent biochemical studies report the occurrence in migraine of metabolic abnormalities in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. These include a metabolic shift directing tyrosine metabolism toward the decarboxylation pathway, therein resulting in an unphysiological production of noradrenaline and dopamine along with increased synthesis…
In a meta-analysis, benefits were modest. Botulinum toxin A is approved for prophylactic treatment of chronic migraine (≥15 headaches per month). The recommended regimen — 31 injections at specified sites in head and neck muscles — may be repeated at 12-week intervals. In a meta-analysis, researchers examined the effectiveness of botulinum toxin A prophylaxis for…