The journal of headache and pain
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Headache is a pain disorder present in populations world-wide with a higher incidence in females. Specifically, the incidences of medication overuse headache (MOH) have increased worldwide. Comorbidities of MOH include photosensitivity, anxiety, "brain fog", and decreased physical activity. The FDA-approved long-lasting selective β2-adrenergic receptor agonist, formoterol, is currently approved for use in severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Recently, interest in repurposing formoterol for use in other disorders including Alzheimer's disease, and neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury has gained traction. Thus, revisiting known side-effects of formoterol, like headache and anxiety, could inform treatment paradigms. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is implicated in the etiology of preclinical headache, with observed decreases in the circulating levels of endogenous cannabinoids, referred to as Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency. As cross-talk between the eCB system and adrenergic receptors has been reported, this study investigated the role of the eCB system and ability of formoterol to induce headache-like periorbital allodynic behavior. ⋯ These results suggest that formoterol is dysregulates eCB tone to drive headache-like periorbital allodynic behaviors. These results could help inform preventative treatment options for individuals receiving formoterol, as well as provide information on the interaction between the eCB and adrenergic system.
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Headache disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, especially in young adults. However, no data on the burden of these disorders in Vietnam have been published to date. This study is the first to assess the prevalence of headache disorders among Vietnamese medical students. ⋯ This study highlights the high prevalence of headache disorders, particularly migraine and TTH, among medical students in Vietnam. These findings underscore the critical need for public health initiatives to improve early diagnosis and effective management of headache disorders within this population.
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In recent years, miRNAs found in biological fluids have gained interest as biomarkers of numerous conditions, including migraine. This study aimed to identify differences in the levels of circulating miRNAs in the serum of migraineurs as compared to healthy controls, as well as between patients with different types of migraine and during the ictal and nonictal phases of the condition. ⋯ The results of our study add to the growing body of evidence for dysregulation of the circulating miRNA profile by migraine. They are further supported by previous reports on differential expression of miR-145-5p, miR-26a-5p and miR-19a-3p in migraineurs. However, more research on larger populations is needed to validate these findings, as well as elucidate the role of circulating miRNAs in the condition. Moreover, to wholly explore the biomarker potential of miRNAs, migraine patients should not only be compared to healthy controls but also to populations with different headache disorders.
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The gut microbiota may be involved in neuropathic pain. However, the causal association between gut microbiota and neuropathic pain remains unclear. Whether immune cells and inflammatory factors mediate the pathway from gut microbiota to neuropathic pain has not been elucidated. ⋯ This study identified the causal relationships between several specific gut microbiota and various neuropathic pain subtypes. Additionally, two immune cells may act as potential mediators in the pathways from gut microbiota to neuropathic pain.
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Patients with migraine often experience not only headache pain but also cognitive dysfunction, particularly in attention, which is frequently overlooked in both diagnosis and treatment. The influence of these attentional deficits on the pain-related clinical characteristics of migraine remains poorly understood, and clarifying this relationship could improve care strategies. ⋯ Patients with migraine demonstrated significant attentional deficits, which can be used to differentiate migraine patients from healthy populations and to predict clinical characteristics. These findings highlight the need to address cognitive dysfunction, particularly attentional deficits, in the clinical management of migraine.