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Neurological Sciences
Published in: Neurological Sciences 12/2017

01-12-2017 | Review Article

Calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonism and cluster headache: an emerging new treatment

Authors: Håkan Ashina, Lawrence Newman, Sait Ashina

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 12/2017

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Abstract

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key signaling molecule involved in migraine pathophysiology. Efficacy of CGRP monoclonal antibodies and antagonists in migraine treatment has fueled an increasing interest in the prospect of treating cluster headache (CH) with CGRP antagonism. The exact role of CGRP and its mechanism of action in CH have not been fully clarified. A search for original studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English was performed in PubMed and in ClinicalTrials.​gov. The search term used was “cluster headache and calcitonin gene related peptide” and “primary headaches and calcitonin gene related peptide.” Reference lists of identified articles were also searched for additional relevant papers. Human experimental studies have reported elevated plasma CGRP levels during both spontaneous and glyceryl trinitrate-induced cluster attacks. CGRP may play an important role in cluster headache pathophysiology. More refined human studies are warranted with regard to assay validation and using larger sample sizes. The results from RCTs may reveal the therapeutic potential of CGRP monoclonal antibodies and antagonists for cluster headache treatment.
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Metadata
Title
Calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonism and cluster headache: an emerging new treatment
Authors
Håkan Ashina
Lawrence Newman
Sait Ashina
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer Milan
Published in
Neurological Sciences / Issue 12/2017
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-3101-8

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