Sex and the migraine brain

D. Borsook; N. Erpelding; A. Lebel; C. Linnman; R. Veggeberg; P.E. Grant; C. Buettner; L. Becerra; R. Burstein

Neurobiology of Disease (Aug 2014)

Sex and the migraine brain

D. Borsook,
N. Erpelding,
A. Lebel,
C. Linnman,
R. Veggeberg,
P.E. Grant,
C. Buettner,
L. Becerra,
R. Burstein

Affiliations

D. Borsook: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Massachusestts General Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA; Corresponding author at: c/o Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, 9 Hope Ave, Waltham MA 02453, USA.
N. Erpelding: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
A. Lebel: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Headache Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
C. Linnman: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Massachusestts General Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
R. Veggeberg: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
P.E. Grant: Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
C. Buettner: Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, USA; Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
L. Becerra: Boston Children's Hospital P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Massachusestts General Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
R. Burstein: Harvard Medical School, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 68
pp. 200 – 214

Abstract

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The brain responds differently to environmental and internal signals that relate to the stage of development of neural systems. While genetic and epigenetic factors contribute to a premorbid state, hormonal fluctuations in women may alter the set point of migraine. The cyclic surges of gonadal hormones may directly alter neuronal, glial and astrocyte function throughout the brain. Estrogen is mainly excitatory and progesterone inhibitory on brain neuronal systems. These changes contribute to the allostatic load of the migraine condition that most notably starts at puberty in girls.

Published in Neurobiology of Disease

ISSN: 0969-9961 (Print); 1095-953X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurobiology-of-disease

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Abstract

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