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Does inflammation have a role in migraine?

Nature Reviews Neurology volume 15, pages 483–490 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Migraine is a prevalent disorder, affecting 15.1% of the world’s population. In most cases, the migraine attacks are sporadic; however, some individuals experience a gradual increase in attack frequency over time, and up to 2% of the general population develop chronic migraine. The mechanisms underlying this chronicity are unresolved but are hypothesized to involve a degree of inflammation. In this article, we review the relevant literature related to inflammation and migraine, from the initiation of attacks to chronification. We propose that the increase in migraine frequency leading to chronic migraine involves neurogenic neuroinflammation, possibly entailing increased expression of cytokines via activation of protein kinases in neurons and glial cells of the trigeminovascular system. We present evidence from preclinical research that supports this view and discuss the implications for migraine therapy.

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Fig. 1: Migraine progression and chronification.
Fig. 2: Effects of dural CFA administration on the trigeminal ganglion.
Fig. 3: Effects of TMJ CFA injection on the trigeminal ganglion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Experimental Vascular Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Lars Edvinsson & Karin Warfvinge

  2. Department of Clinical Experimental Research, Glostrup Research Institute, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark

    Lars Edvinsson, Kristian Agmund Haanes & Karin Warfvinge

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Edvinsson, L., Haanes, K.A. & Warfvinge, K. Does inflammation have a role in migraine?. Nat Rev Neurol 15, 483–490 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-019-0216-y

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