Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026
10:39
3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
18.8K
Endocannabinoid System and Migraine Pain: An Update
Rosaria Greco1, Chiara Demartini1, Anna M Zanaboni1,2
1Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|April 5, 2018
Summary
Migraine attacks involve the trigeminovascular system and vasoactive substances. The endocannabinoid system, particularly anandamide, is implicated, with reduced levels in chronic migraine patients suggesting a therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Migraine pathophysiology involves trigeminovascular system activation and vasoactive mediator release.
- The endocannabinoid system (ES) is increasingly recognized for its role in pain modulation.
- Dysregulation of the ES is linked to migraine headache.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the connection between the endocannabinoid system and migraine.
- To investigate the role of anandamide (AEA) levels in chronic migraine (CM).
- To evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting FAAH for migraine treatment.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of anandamide (AEA) levels in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of chronic migraine patients.
- Review of experimental and clinical data on the endocannabinoid system and migraine.
- Exploration of the mechanism of action of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors.
Main Results:
- Reduced anandamide (AEA) levels observed in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of chronic migraine (CM) patients.
- This reduction in AEA is associated with enhanced pain signaling in the spinal cord.
- Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme rapidly degrades AEA, influencing its availability.
Conclusions:
- The endocannabinoid system, specifically anandamide (AEA), plays a significant role in migraine pathophysiology.
- Inhibition of AEA degradation by targeting FAAH presents a promising therapeutic strategy for migraine pain.
- Modulating AEA levels via FAAH inhibition could increase endocannabinoid availability at key migraine sites.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Pain
1.4K
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
1.4K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
1.9K
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
1.9K
01:24Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance
5.9K
Primary motives such as sleep, sex, and pain avoidance are crucial drivers of behavior in humans and animals. These motives ensure survival, reproductive success, and overall well-being by prompting actions that meet essential bodily needs.
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...
5.9K
01:42Schemas
12.4K
A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
12.4K
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
17.2K
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
17.2K
01:31What is a Sensory System?
101.4K
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
101.4K