Neurobiological Basis of Migraine

Book excerpt: Published with the New York Academy of Sciences A timely, broad-ranging exploration of the neurobiological basis and molecular mechanisms of migraines Migraines impact the lives of a significant portion of the world's population, afflicting sufferers with severe pain, nausea, and often visual impairment. The WHO views migraines as an important public health issue, and ranks them in its top twenty most disabling illnesses. Neurobiological Basis of Migraine reviews the latest advances made in our understanding of the primary basic mechanisms of migraine headache and provides valuable insights into how these findings are being translated into novel treatment and prevention strategies around the world. Written for researchers and clinicians alike, the book features edited contributions from distinguished experts in the field, taking a focused, yet wide-ranging approach to the subject. It begins by exploring the pathways and networks mediating migraine headaches, their underlying physiological mechanisms, characteristics of visceral pain, and the concept of dural neurogenic inflammation. From there the authors delve into the mechanisms sustaining the head pain and photophobia associated with migraines, and they review the pharmacology of newly discovered migraine treatments. These basic chapters are followed by clinical and genetic studies linking to key issues, including cortical spreading depression, ion channels, transporters, and epilepsy. Reviews of the latest advances in our understanding of the neurobiological basis of migraine Translates important research findings from around the globe into novel treatments strategies currently being investigated Provides researchers and clinicians with a deep understanding of the primary mechanisms of migraine from migraine modeling to clinical applications Includes contributions by many of the most respected researchers in the field, world-wide Discusses exciting recent developments in migraine mutations and their role in CSD, as well as the role of CSD in aura and trigeminal activation Timely, comprehensive, and authoritative, Neurobiological Basis of Migraine is an indispensable working resource for clinicians and migraine, headache, and pain researchers, including neurobiologists, neuropharmacologists, neurologists, and vascular neurobiologists, as well as graduate students in those fields who are involved in researching migraine headaches.