Extrasynaptic δGABAA receptors mediate resistance to migraine-like phenotype in rats.

Background: GABA, a key inhibitory neurotransmitter, has synaptic and extrasynaptic receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. Background GABA, which spills over from the synaptic cleft, acts on extrasynaptic delta subunit containing GABAA receptors. The role of extrasynaptic GABAergic input in migraine is unknown.

Levcromakalim provokes an acute rapid-onset migraine-like phenotype without inducing cortical spreading depolarization.

Background: Migraine headache attacks and accompanying sensory augmentation can be induced by several agents including levcromakalim (LVC), that is also capable of provoking aura-like symptoms in migraineurs. We investigated whether single LVC injection causes acute migraine-like phenotype in rats and induces/modulates cortical spreading depolarization (CSD), a rodent model of migraine aura.

Methods: Wistar rats were administered LVC (1 mg/kg, i.