pituitrin and Migraine-Disorders

Vasopressin is a naturally available neuropeptide that subserves important vasomotor, antinociceptive, behavior control, fluid and electrolyte balance, platelet aggregation and blood coagulation functions. This review focuses on the clinical phenomena of migraine that are likely to influence vasopressin bioavailability or efficacy as well as the modulating influence of vasopressin itself. As part of a complex homeostatic adjustment to stress and pain, the intricacies of vasopressin metabolism may have particular relevance to the pathophysiology of migraine.

Topics: Humans; Migraine Disorders; Stress, Physiological; Vasopressins

Neuropeptides are sufficiently stable to allow valid radioimmunoassay of peptide concentrations in post-mortem human nervous tissue and in human cerebrospinal fluid. Studies have now documented abnormalities of peptide concentrations in degenerative diseases of the brain. Somatostatin concentration is reduced in the hippocampus and neocortex of patients dying with Alzheimer's type dementia. In Huntington's disease, there are reduced concentrations of substance P, met-enkephalin and cholecystokinin in the basal ganglia; in contrast the concentrations of somatostatin and TRH are increased. Immunocytochemical and experimental lesion studies are underway in an attempt to localize the peptide-containing cells affected by these disorders; and the potential role of alterations in neuropeptide function in the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and therapy of these illnesses is of great interest. Although alterations of CSF peptide concentrations have been reported in a variety of human diseases, interpretation of these results requires knowledge of the origin and disposition of CSF peptides. Future research into the pathology of peptidergic systems will depend on the development of specific peptide antagonists to probe dynamic aspects of peptide function and on the application of the tools of molecular biology, such as specific mRNA assays, to human material.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Brain; Cholecystokinin; Choline O-Acetyltransferase; Endorphins; Epilepsy; Forecasting; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Huntington Disease; Migraine Disorders; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Nervous System Diseases; Pain; Parkinson Disease; Radioimmunoassay; Somatostatin; Substance P; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; Tissue Distribution; Vasopressins

Hypothalamus is a key region in migraine attacks. In addition, women are disproportionately affected by migraine. The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) system is an important key player in migraine pathophysiology. CGRP signaling could be a target of hormones that influence migraine. Our aim is to identify the expression of vasopressin and its receptors in the brain and in the trigeminovascular system with focus on the migraine-related regions and, furthermore, to examine the role of sex on the expression of neurohormones in the trigeminal ganglion.. Rat brain and trigeminal ganglia were carefully harvested, and protein and mRNA levels were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR, respectively.. Vasopressin and its receptors immunoreactivity were found in migraine-related areas within the brain and, in the trigeminal ganglion, predominantly in neuronal cytoplasm. There were no differences in the number of positive immunoreactivity cells expression of CGRP and vasopressin in the trigeminal ganglion between male and female rats. In contrast, the number of RAMP1 (CGRP receptor), oxytocin (molecular relative to vasopressin), oxytocin receptor and vasopressin receptors (V1aR and V1bR) immunoreactive cells were higher in female compared to male rats. Vasopressin and its receptors mRNA were expressed in both hypothalamus and trigeminal ganglion; however, the vasopressin mRNA level was significantly higher in the hypothalamus.. A better understanding of potential hormonal influences on migraine mechanisms is needed to improve treatment of female migraineurs. It is intriguing that vasopressin is an output of hypothalamic neurons that influences areas associated with migraine. Therefore, vasopressin and the closely related oxytocin might be important hypothalamic components that contribute to migraine pathophysiology.

Topics: Animals; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Female; Male; Migraine Disorders; Oxytocin; Rats; RNA, Messenger; Vasopressins

Cyclic vomiting syndrome is characterized by recurrent vomiting that is associated with increased adrenocorticotropic hormone and antidiuretic hormone levels during cyclic vomiting syndrome attacks. However, both prognosis and treatment remain unclear. We therefore evaluated the clinical features, prognosis, and effectiveness of the prophylaxis of cyclic vomiting syndrome as well as the relationship between symptoms and adrenocorticotropic hormone/antidiuretic hormone levels.. We included 31 patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome who were admitted to Teikyo University between 1996 and 2008. All patients were diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome based on the criteria of the second edition of the International Headache Classification. The patients (25 of 31) were followed until 2013.. The median overall duration of the disorder was 66 (3-179) months. Follow-up was completed for 25 patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome, of whom 44% (n = 11) developed migraine. Valproic acid, valproic acid with phenobarbital, phenobarbital, and amitriptyline were effective in nine, four, three, and one patients, respectively. Abnormally high adrenocorticotropic hormone (n = 17) and antidiuretic hormone (n = 18) levels were found among the 25 patients for whom follow-up data were available. The following correlations were significant: attack duration and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (correlation coefficient: 0.5153, P = 0.0084) and attack duration and antidiuretic hormone levels (correlation coefficient: 0.5666, P = 0.0031). Antidiuretic hormone levels in patients with bilious vomiting were higher than in those without bilious vomiting (P = 0.048).. Most patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome recovered completely and benefited from prophylactic therapy, although half of them developed migraines.

Topics: Adolescent; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Anticonvulsants; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Migraine Disorders; Retrospective Studies; Vasopressins; Vomiting

Dynamic thalamic regulation of sensory signals allows the cortex to adjust better to rapidly changing behavioral, physiological and environmental demands. To fulfill this role, thalamic neurons must themselves be subjected to constantly changing modulatory inputs that originate in multiple neurochemical pathways involved in autonomic, affective and cognitive functions. Our overall goal is to define an anatomical framework for conceptualizing how a 'decision' is made on whether a trigeminovascular thalamic neuron fires, for how long, and at what frequency. To begin answering this question, we determine which neuropeptides/neurotransmitters are in a position to modulate thalamic trigeminovascular neurons. Using a combination of in-vivo single-unit recording, juxtacellular labeling with tetramethylrhodamine dextran (TMR) and in-vitro immunohistochemistry, we found that thalamic trigeminovascular neurons were surrounded by high density of axons containing biomarkers of glutamate, GABA, dopamine and serotonin; moderate density of axons containing noradrenaline and histamine; low density of axons containing orexin and melanin concentrating hormone (MCH); but not axons containing CGRP, serotonin 1D receptor, oxytocin or vasopressin. In the context of migraine, the findings suggest that the transmission of headache-related nociceptive signals from the thalamus to the cortex may be modulated by opposing forces (i.e., facilitatory, inhibitory) that are governed by continuous adjustments needed to keep physiological, behavioral, cognitive and emotional homeostasis.

Topics: Animals; Anxiety; Biomarkers; Brain Stem; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Dopamine; Eating; Glutamates; Histamine; Hypothalamic Hormones; Hypothalamus; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Male; Melanins; Migraine Disorders; Neurons; Neuropeptides; Neurotransmitter Agents; Norepinephrine; Orexins; Oxytocin; Pituitary Hormones; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Serotonin; Sleep; Stress, Psychological; Thalamus; Trigeminal Nerve; Vasopressins

Topics: Anticoagulants; Hemostasis; Humans; Migraine Disorders; Vasoconstrictor Agents; Vasopressins; Warfarin

Vasopressin levels in plasma rise during migraine attacks. Vasopressin also induces endothelin-1 synthesis in endothelial cells, suggesting a role as a mediator of elevated plasma endothelin-1 in migraine. To explore a possible relationship between endothelin-1 and vasopressin in migraine, plasma concentrations of both peptides were monitored simultaneously throughout an attack and during two migraine-free intervals (control) in 20 patients. Endothelin-1 was elevated 6 h after the onset of an attack (3.3 +/- 0.3 pg/ml vs 2.7 +/- 0.2 pg/ml during migraine-free intervals; p = 0.12) whereas vasopressin was increased over control levels (2.8 +/- 0.3 pg/ml) by 3 h (3.6 +/- 0.4 pg/ml; p < 0.05) and remained elevated at 6 h (3.9 +/- 0.5 pg/ml; p < 0.01). These data suggest that vasopressin may act as a peripheral mediator of increased plasma endothelin-1 in migraine.

Topics: Adult; Endothelin-1; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine Disorders; Monitoring, Physiologic; Osmolar Concentration; Vasopressins

Topics: Humans; Migraine Disorders; Vasomotor System; Vasopressins

Vasopressin is a vasoactive hormone secreted from the posterior pituitary. At low concentration its role is in regulating renal water excretion, but at higher concentrations it has a number of extrarenal actions, including effects on blood flow. To investigate the role of vasopressin in spontaneous migraine, paired samples were collected from 14 subjects (a) during an acute attack of spontaneous migraine, and (b) when symptom-free for at least seven days. During an attack, vasopressin was consistently raised (median (range) 3.5 (1.2-9.6) pg/ml v 0.5 (0.5-1.1) pg/ml, p less than 0.001). The highest vasopressin concentration occurred in the only patient who vomited. The results suggest vasopressin rises during an attack of spontaneous migraine, and this may, in part, be related to emesis. In the majority, vasopressin levels only rose sufficiently to have some renal antidiuretic effect, although in some these levels could have been sufficient to cause alteration in peripheral blood flow. Release of vasopressin may be responsible for the facial pallor and antidiuresis observed in migraine.

Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine Disorders; Nausea; Vasopressins

Vasopressin (aVP) at low concentrations functions as an antidiuretic hormone and has vasoconstrictive effects. To investigate the possible role of aVP in the pathogenesis of migraine, six patients with a history of induced migraine were given 100 g chocolate, and blood samples for plasma aVP were taken before ingestion and every hour for 4 h. In one patient who presented with severe headache and nausea the base-line plasma aVP concentration was 15.2 pg/ml; it fell to 3.2 pg/ml at 2 h before rising to 10 pg/ml at 3 h and 4 h as the symptoms worsened. In the five patients with moderate or no headache plasma aVP concentrations remained in the normal range (less than 3 pg/ml) throughout. The results suggest that aVP does not have a role in the aetiology of migraine. The possibility exists that during severe attacks of nausea there is release of aVP, which may be responsible for the facial pallor, antidiuresis, and coagulation abnormalities occasionally observed in migraine.

Topics: Adult; Cacao; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine Disorders; Vasopressins

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Anesthetics; Asthma; Autonomic Nerve Block; Eczema; Endocrinology; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Hypothalamus; Lidocaine; Male; Migraine Disorders; Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; Research; Reticular Formation; Stellate Ganglion; Sympathectomy; Urticaria; Vasomotor System; Vasopressins