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Published Online: 1 July 2007

Is the Migraine Headache Ameliorated by Enhancing Chloride Current?

Shahriar Gharibzadeh, M.D., Ph.D., Aboozar Taherkhani, M.Sc., and Mohammad Sadeghzadeh, M.Sc.Authors Info & Affiliations

Publication: The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Volume 19, Number 3

https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.2007.19.3.340

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SIR: Blood vessels respond to transmural pressure elevation with constriction and to pressure reduction with dilation. This behavior, which is called myogenic response, is believed to play a central role in the maintenance of constant blood flow and capillary hydrostatic pressure (P _c ) during variations in systemic arterial pressure. 1

Kitamura and Yamazaki 2 have postulated that stretching the vessel wall by increased blood pressure activates the volume regulated Cl ⁻ channels. This probably causes the membrane to become depolarized and consequently to activate L -type Ca ²⁺ channels and reduce the arterial diameter.

On the other hand, the autoregulation of cerebral hydrostatic pressure is completely different in migraine patients compared with healthy subjects and it seems that myogenic cerebrovascular autoregulation is disturbed in some kinds of migraines. 3, 4

It may be possible that Cl ⁻ channels contribute to migraine disease. We propose that some of the symptoms of migraine headaches may be cured by enhancing Cl ⁻ channel currents. In accordance with our hypothesis, Smith et al. 5 mentioned that BTS 72664, which enhances chloride currents through picrotoxin-sensitive chloride channels, is likely to have antimigraine activity. Surely, experimental and clinical research is needed to verify this hypothesis.

References

Davis MJ, Hill MA: Signaling mechanisms underlying the vascular myogenic response. Physiol Rev 1999; 79:387–423

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Kitamura K, Yamazaki J: Chloride channels and their functional roles in smooth muscle tone in the vasculature. Jpn J Pharmacol 2001; 85:351–357

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Muller M, Marziniak M: The linear behavior of the system middle cerebral artery flow velocity and blood pressure in patients with migraine: lack of autonomic control? Stroke 2005; 36:1886–1890

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Heckmann JG, Hilz MJ, Katalinic A, et al: Myogenic cerebrovascular auto regulation in migraine measured by stress transcranial Doppler sonography. Cephalalgia 1998; 18:133–137

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Smith SL, Thompson KS, Sargent BJ, et al: BTS 72664: a novel CNS drug with potential anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, and antimigraine properties. CNS Drug Rev 2001; 7:146–171

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Volume 19 • Number 3 • Summer, 2007

Pages: 340 - 341

PubMed: 17827424

History

Published online: 1 July 2007

Published in print: Summer, 2007

Authors

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Shahriar Gharibzadeh, M.D., Ph.D.

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Aboozar Taherkhani, M.Sc.

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Mohammad Sadeghzadeh, M.Sc.

Neuromuscular Systems Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

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Is the Migraine Headache Ameliorated by Enhancing Chloride Current?

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