Highlights
- •Increased gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels were associated with increased pain and more frequent central sensitization symptoms in patients with migraine.
- •Our results provide preliminary evidence for the possible involvement of GABA in migraine pathophysiology.
- •GABA is a potential biomarker for migraine.
- •Measuring clinical characteristics of migraine using self-report questionnaires might be useful in characterizing migraine better and broadening the diagnostic process.
Abstract
Migraine is prevalent and disabling yet is poorly understood. One way to better understand
migraine is to examine its clinical characteristics and potential biomarkers such
as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The primary objective of this study was to explore
whether relevant disease characteristics of migraine are associated with brain GABA
levels. Twenty adults fulfilling the established diagnostic criteria for migraine
and 20 age- and gender-matched controls completed this cross-sectional study. Pain,
central sensitization, negative emotional state, and perceived disability were measured
using Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2, Central Sensitization Inventory, Depression
Anxiety Stress Scales-21, and Headache Impact Test-6, respectively. Secondary analysis
of brain GABA levels of the same cohort measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
was conducted. The migraine group had significantly higher scores than the control
group on pain, central sensitization, and disability. Correlation analyses showed
fair positive association between GABA levels and pain and central sensitization scores.
No association was found between GABA levels and emotional state and disability. These
findings are preliminary evidence supporting the use of questionnaires and GABA levels
in characterizing migraine better and broadening the diagnostic process. These findings
also strengthen the rationale for the role of GABA in migraine pathophysiology and
corroborate the potential of GABA as a migraine biomarker.
Perspective
Higher pain and central sensitization scores were associated with increased brain
GABA levels in individuals with migraine. These findings offer preliminary evidence
for the usefulness of measuring pain and central sensitization in migraine and provide
some support for the possible role of GABA in migraine pathophysiology and its potential
as a diagnostic marker.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 28, 2016
Accepted:
June 18,
2016
Received in revised form:
June 7,
2016
Received:
November 27,
2015
Footnotes
This research was funded by a Bridging Grant from the University of Sydney. Maria-Eliza R. Aguila was supported by a fellowship through the Doctoral Studies Fund under the Expanded Modernization Program of the University of the Philippines. Trudy Rebbeck was supported by a fellowship from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Markus Hübscher was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service.
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Identification
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© 2016 by the American Pain Society
