New research by the University of Maine found that people who suffer from migraines are more likely to experience a brain energy deficit in between attacks.
Appearing in the journal Neurochemical Research, the susceptibility to a brain energy deficit between attacks may occur through heightened demand or inadequate energy production.
The study suggesting an energy impairment may trigger brain oxidative stress and subsequently, migraines, was authored by Jonathan Borkum.
“People with migraine are prone to a brain energy deficit between attacks, through increased energy demand (hyperexcitable brain) or decreased supply (mitochondrial impairment). However, it is uncertain how this precipitates an acute attack. Here, the central role of oxidative stress is adduced,” the paper reads.
“Implications are discussed for the development of new classes of migraine preventives, for the current use of C57BL/6J mice (which lack NNT) in preclinical studies of migraine, for how a microembolism initiates CSD, and for how CSD can trigger a migraine,” the paper also states.
