Investigation and identification of migraine triggers

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Takizawa Tsubasa 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 講師 (30778874)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 頭痛 / 片頭痛 / トリガー / 皮質拡延性脱分極 / COVID-19ワクチン / 喫煙

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A detailed survey of >200 patients with headache attending the outpatient headache clinic at Keio University Hospital was conducted using a questionnaire on approximately 50 candidate headache triggers. More than 75% of the patients were confirmed to be aware of stress, lack of sleep, and low barometric pressure as triggers, respectively. In addition, a survey on nursing staff at Keio University Hospital revealed that patients who usually have headaches are more likely to experience headaches after COVID-19 vaccination (Sekiguchi K et al. Cephalalgia 2022).
We conducted a study using cortical spreading depolarization (CSD), an animal model of migraine, to verify whether smoking is a trigger of migraine. We found that CSD was more likely to be induced in female mice that were exposed to smoking, suggesting that they were more likely to develop migraine.

Free Research Field

頭痛

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

片頭痛のトリガーについて日本人における詳細な調査が実施できたことは意義が高いと考えられた。ストレスや睡眠など是正可能なトリガーも多く、今後の介入も検討される。COVID-19ワクチン後の頭痛の発症率や特徴については、一般市民の接種のタイミングで研究成果をプレスリリースできたことで、一般市民にも情報を届けることができた。
喫煙を負荷した雌マウスにてCSDの感受性の低下がみられたことは、喫煙が片頭痛をトリガーする科学的な裏付けとなった。雄マウスでは同様の変化がみられなかったことから、喫煙が片頭痛に及ぼす影響については性差がある可能性も示唆された。