μ-Opioid activation in the midbrain during migraine allodynia - brief report II.

We investigated in vivo the allodynic response of the central μ-opioid system during spontaneous migraine headaches, following a sustained pain threshold challenge on the trigeminal ophthalmic region. Six migraineurs were scanned during the ictal and interictal phases using positron emission tomography (PET) with the selective μ-opioid receptor (μOR) radiotracer [11C]carfentanil. Females were scanned during the mid-late follicular phase of two separate cycles.

Association of μ-Opioid Activation in the Prefrontal Cortex with Spontaneous Migraine Attacks - Brief Report I.

We evaluated the μ-opioid system during spontaneous episodic migraine headaches. Seven patients were scanned at different phases of their migraine using Positron Emission Tomography with the selective μ-opioid receptor (μOR) radiotracer [11C]carfentanil. In the ictal phase, there was μOR activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, which was strongly associated with the μOR availability level during the interictal phase.

Real-time sharing and expression of migraine headache suffering on Twitter: a cross-sectional infodemiology study.

Background: Although population studies have greatly improved our understanding of migraine, they have relied on retrospective self-reports that are subject to memory error and experimenter-induced bias. Furthermore, these studies also lack specifics from the actual time that attacks were occurring, and how patients express and share their ongoing suffering.

Objective: As technology and language constantly evolve, so does the way we share our suffering.