Case-control study, 1985
Do women with menstrual migraine have different nerve activity patterns than others?
Women with menstrual migraine show different patterns of nerve activity across the menstrual cycle compared to women without migraine. Hormone treatment may reduce these patterns.
What they did
Measured an enzyme level that reflects nerve system activity in 7 women with regular menstrual migraine and 11 healthy women. Measurements were taken during the mid-cycle phase and the premenstrual phase. Some women with migraine were also treated with estradiol implants.
What they found
In women with migraine, enzyme levels were clearly lower in the premenstrual phase compared to the mid-cycle phase, whereas control women showed little difference between the two phases. When comparing migraine and control women, enzyme levels were on average 26% and 10% higher in the migraine group, though this difference was not clear due to the large range of normal enzyme levels. Women with migraine treated with estradiol implants had reduced enzyme levels and a smaller difference between cycle phases.
What it means for you
Excessive changes in nerve activity across the menstrual cycle may play a role in menstrual migraine, and estradiol may help by reducing these changes. This is a very small study from 1985, which limits confidence in the findings.
7
women with menstrual migraine
11
healthy control women
26% and 10%
higher enzyme levels in migraine group
About the study
- Original title
- Serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in menstrual migraine
- Authors
- Magos A, Brincat M, Zilkha KJ et al.
- Journal
- Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
- Year
- 1985
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Estradiol implants for menstrual migraine
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.48.4.328
Topics
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