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Release of platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine by plasma taken from patients during and between migraine attacks
Alexander Dvilansky1, Shmuel Rishpon, Ilana Nathan
1Blood Research Laboratory and the Neurological Unit, Soroka Medical Centre, Ben Gurion University Medical School, Be'er-Sheva, and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
Abstract:
Experiments were carried out in order to further delineate the pathophysiology of the fall of plasma 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) during a migraine attack. Platelets from normal subjects were incubated with 14C-labelled 5-HT, and the release of 5-HT was measured following exposure of these platelets to plasma taken from migraine patients during an attack or at headache-free intervals. Plasma taken during attacks released significantly more 5-HT. It is concluded that factor(s) exist in the serum during migraine attacks, which can cause 5-HT release from normal platelets. The identification of this factor may be important.