Increased prolactin response to thyrotropin releasing hormone during migraine attacks

Prolactin (PRL) has been associated with the pathogenesis of migraine, and various approaches have been used to investigate its role. In the present study, the PRL response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was evaluated in eight women migraineurs during an attack-free state and during a migraine attack. PRL baseline values were not different in the two states, and the same was true for the TSH responses to TRH. The PRL responses to TRH were, however, significantly higher during the attack, a finding that indicates a latent disturbance of the PRL-regulating systems in migraine, with a higher responsiveness during migraine attacks.