New Study Finds Potential Relief Treatment For People With Migraine

A large study on over 1.3 million people revealed some lesser-known facts around migraines that can prove to be a significant relief for those suffering from the condition. 

The study by DeCode Genetics in Iceland uncovered some commonalities in people suffering from migraine and gave insights into the genetic basis of the condition. The study was done on 1.3 million people of which 80,000 people had migraines. 

The study published in Nature Genetics Journal in 2023 is slated to open pathways for novel drug development for the debilitating headaches associated with migraines as they will now have 44 genetic variants of migraine including 12 novel variants.

The New Study Explained

The researchers focused on detecting the sequence variants behind the migraine attacks and its two major subtypes: the "classical migraine" or the migraine with aura, and migraine without aura. 

The researchers identified 44 genetic variants associated with migraine, including 12 novel variants. Four of the novel variants were associated with migraine with aura, and 13 were associated with migraine without aura. Of particular interest were three rare variants with large effects on the risk of migraine, suggesting that different types of migraine may have distinct underlying pathologies.

What Is A Migraine With Aura And Without Aura?

Discovery Of Genetic Variants

The study also found that some of the genetic variants associated with migraine were also linked to the response to different types of migraine treatment. For example, people with a certain variant of the PRRT2 gene were more likely to respond to the migraine preventive medication verapamil which also confers risks of migraine with aura and other brain diseases such as epilepsy. 

A gene that is known to play a pivotal role in pain sensations, the SCN11A gene was detected to have rare loss-of-function variants that have effects of protection against migraine along with a common variant missense associated with the same gene increases modest risks of migraines. 

Advantages Of Study

The professor and CEO of DeCode Genetics said that the large database of research from various individuals helped detect rare variants protecting migraines that will open the pathways for drug developments for treatments and cures. 

Around one in every five women, one in 11 children, and one in every 16 men suffer from migraine while women suffer from three times more prevalent migraine attacks. 

The findings of this study could lead to the development of more personalised and effective treatments for migraines. By identifying the genetic variants that are associated with migraines and the response to treatment, doctors could better tailor treatment plans to individual patients.

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