Persistent post-traumatic headache: a migrainous loop or not? The preclinical evidence.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Traumatology

Background:

• Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is a secondary headache disorder following traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• PTH is defined by its onset within 7 days of head injury or regaining consciousness.
• Persistent PTH lasts longer than 3 months.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of post-traumatic headache (PTH) mechanisms.
• To highlight the role and limitations of animal models in studying PTH.
• To emphasize the need for further research into PTH pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

• Preclinical studies using various animal models of mild TBI were reviewed.
• Animal models were evaluated for their ability to reproduce conditions leading to PTH.
• Models were assessed for proximity to human conditions and experimental reproducibility.

Main Results:

• Animal models provide valuable in vivo insights into PTH pathophysiology.
• Different models replicate various trauma types, aiding mechanistic studies.
• Despite limitations, animal models are essential for understanding PTH.

Conclusions:

• PTH mechanisms, particularly those overlapping with migraine, require further clarification.
• Understanding available animal models is vital for researchers investigating PTH.
• Continued research using animal models is necessary to unravel PTH mechanisms.