Abstract
Plasma amino acids were analysed in patients with migraine with (9) and without (80)
aura, in patients with tension headache (14) and in controls (62). The neuroexcitatory
amino acids glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, cysteic acid and homocysteic acid were
elevated in migraine patients while total thiols (cysteine/cystine) were reduced.
Patients with tension headache had values which were similar to those of controls.
Tryptophan was elevated in migraine patients without aura only. Studies on two patients
showed that the raised resting excitatory amino acid levels became still further elevated
during a migraine attack. These results show that high concentrations of neurotransmitter
amino acids occur normally in migraine patients and suggest that this profile may
be a contributory factor in migraine attacks. Tension headache, however, has different
biochemical parameters.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 26,
1997
Received in revised form:
October 9,
1997
Received:
February 5,
1997
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
