Gabapentin Inhibits Central Sensitization During Migraine, Say Researchers

Excitatory amino acids and protein kinase C are involved in the formation and maintenance of central sensitization during migraine, find Yanbo Zhang and colleagues from Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University in China. Gabapentin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid derivative, and was approved for the treatment of neuropathic pain by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002. However, little evidence is available on the effects and me-chanisms of action of gabapentin during the migraine attack period. Gabapentin can decrease neuronal excitability in spinal trigeminal nuclei and inhibit the formation of central sensitization during migraine by reducing excitatory amino acid content in the cerebrospinal fluid and by inhibiting protein kinase C activation. These findings were published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 32, 2013).

Migraine is a chronic disorder characterized by headache; and nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine is three times more common in women than men and generally appears for the first time between 10-45 years of age. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol causes the blood vessels in the body to widen, which contributes to the pain of migraines. A regular schedule for sleep is necessary if fatigue leads to attacks. Analgesics may reduce pain if they are taken early in the development of the headache.

Source-Eurkealert

Source-Eurekalert