Synergistic Mechanisms Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Migraine

Abstract

Post-traumatic headache is one of the most common symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury and can persist for months after the initial trauma. The most severe and long-lasting post-traumatic headaches are usually classified as migraine and are a major cause of disability. The mechanisms by which head trauma leads to migraine are currently unclear, due partially to a lack of predictive animal models. The studies proposed in this application will examine the consequence of mild traumatic brain injury within a mouse migraine model. A closed-head model of brain injury will be used, which has been shown previously to reflect the most common type of mild traumatic brain injury in humans. Migraine-like pain will be evoked by nitroglycerin, which is a known migraine trigger in humans and causes migraine-associated symptoms in mice. Mice will be tested 2, 4, and 12 weeks after injury with different doses of nitroglycerin, which has been shown to produce varying levels of migraine pain. Mice will be treated repeatedly with nitroglycerin to model the effects of chronic migraine. Recovery from chronic migraine pain will also be measured to determine if brain trauma delays recovery time. A separate group of mice will undergo the same treatment and will be used to measure proteins that are important mediators of migraine attacks. These studies will provide valuable understanding of mild traumatic brain injury, migraine, and the interaction between the two.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Apr 04, 2016
Source ID
W81XWH1510209

Entities

People

  • Amynah A Pradhan

Organizations

  • United States Army
  • University of Illinois at Chicago

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.