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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice
Published on: February 3, 2016
No Gastrointestinal Dysmotility in Transgenic Mouse Models of Migraine
Adam S Sprouse Blum1, Brigitte Lavoie1, Melody Haag1
1Department of Neurological Sciences, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
Objective:
To determine whether transgenic mouse models of migraine exhibit upper gastrointestinal dysmotility comparable to those observed in migraine patients.
Background:
There is considerable evidence supporting the comorbidity of gastrointestinal dysmotility and migraine. Gastrointestinal motility, however, has never been investigated in transgenic mouse models of migraine.
Methods:
Three transgenic mouse strains that express pathogenic gene mutations linked to monogenic migraine-relevant phenotypes were studied: CADASIL (Notch3-Tg88), FASP (CSNK1D-T44A), and FHM1 (CACNA1A-S218L). Upper gastrointestinal motility was quantified by measuring gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in mutant and control animals. Gastrointestinal motility was measured at baseline and after pretreatment with 10 mg/kg nitroglycerin (NTG).
Results:
No significant differences were observed for gastric emptying or small intestinal transit at baseline for any of the 3 transgenic strains when compared to appropriate controls or after pretreatment with NTG when compared to vehicle.
Conclusions:
We detected no evidence of upper gastrointestinal dysmotility in mice that express mutations in genes linked to monogenic migraine-relevant phenotypes. Future studies seeking to understand why humans with migraine experience delayed gastric emptying may benefit from pursuing other modifiers of gastrointestinal motility, such as epigenetic or microbiome-related factors.
Insights
Transgenic mouse models of migraine did not show upper gastrointestinal dysmotility. Further research should explore other factors, like epigenetics or the microbiome, to understand migraine-related gut issues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Genetics
Background:
- Migraine is frequently comorbid with gastrointestinal dysmotility.
- Gastrointestinal motility has not been studied in transgenic migraine mouse models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate upper gastrointestinal dysmotility in transgenic mouse models of migraine.
- To compare gastrointestinal motility in mutant and control mice.
Main Methods:
- Studied three transgenic mouse strains (CADASIL, FASP, FHM1) with migraine-associated gene mutations.
- Quantified gastric emptying and small intestinal transit.
- Measured motility at baseline and after nitroglycerin (NTG) administration.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in gastric emptying or small intestinal transit were found between transgenic mice and controls.
- Nitroglycerin administration did not alter gastrointestinal motility in transgenic or control mice.
Conclusions:
- Transgenic mouse models with mutations linked to monogenic migraine phenotypes do not exhibit upper gastrointestinal dysmotility.
- Future studies should investigate epigenetic or microbiome factors to explain delayed gastric emptying in migraine patients.
