Migraine Headache Research

An advanced new medication is being tested in America which could help make migraines a pain of the past.

Revolutionary new medication is being tested in the US for migraine sufferers. According to a leading British specialist, the new drugs cut out the number of migraine attacks and could help to prevent them altogether.

Scientists believe migraines are triggered off by over-responsive cells in the brain. These activate nerves to release chemicals which aggravate and cause blood vessels on the brains surface to swell.

The new and exciting migraine treatment called Tonabersat ‘turns down’ hyperactive nerves which trigger off the painful headaches. Tonabersat is part of a new wave of drugs called ‘gap junction blockers’. These drugs moderate the intensity of chemical signals passed between cells in the brain with fewer side effects.

Professor Peter Goadsby from the Institute of Neurology in London said: "What is clear is that these drugs are well tolerated, that they cause fewer side effects.

“If these US studies are suitably positive this will be a step-change for the good and enable better understanding of migraines.”

“The use of Tonabersat could help patients prevent the onset of an attack“, Professor Goadsby explained.

He went on to say: “One of the biggest problems for sufferers was being unable to predict when a migraine would strike. “These drugs are under-prescribed, probably only half are getting preventive treatment. About 20 per cent of sufferers have four or more attacks a month and they would benefit. “

UK figures imply around two million migraine sufferers are presently not getting such preventive drugs. The drug is expected to be available in the UK in at least two years.

Migraine attacks can affect anyone; however they are three times more likely to affect women than men. Women between the ages of 15 and 55 are more prone to suffering these severe headaches.

In approximately 30 per cent of migraine attacks, the sufferer experiences a phenomenon called ‘aura’ before or during the headache. The aura most commonly consists of visual disturbance, bright flashes of light across the eye or, in some cases, patterns over across the visual field interrupting the sight. Other effects of migraine are nausea, a ‘pins and needles’ sensation in limbs, and a sensitivity to light and noise.

Around six million in the UK alone suffer from migraines, with a total of one in four suffering the most severe type, including the aura. Migraines can last up to 72 hours and are particularly painful.

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