Study reveals cause of migraines, opens doors for precise treatments
A migraine is a neurological condition marked by severe, debilitating headaches on one side of your head.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Symptoms-headache.jpg
Media Source: Standard (Kenya)
Date: 30 July 2024
According to Dr Beverly Cheserem, a consultant neurosurgeon at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Nairobi, the brain has its own drainage system -- kind of like the pipes in the sinks and toilets. This system is called the lymphatic system, and it helps remove excess fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) and allows immune cells to patrol…
According to Dr Beverly Cheserem, a consultant neurosurgeon at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Nairobi, the brain has its own drainage system -- kind of like the pipes in the sinks and toilets. This system is called the lymphatic system, and it helps remove excess fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) and allows immune cells to patrol the brain’s protective layers. During a migraine attack, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels increase sharply in these areas. The surge in the proteins changes how the brain’s drainage vessels work. The proteins tighten up the pipes so that fluid can’t flow as easily. CGRP on its own is beneficial in that it acts on the walls of blood vessels and relaxes them to reduce blood pressure and increase blood flow but in excess, it can cause extreme pain and inflammation, hence migraine attacks.