PLATELET MODELS AND THEIR POSSIBLE USEFULNESS IN THE STUDY OF MIGRAINE PATHOGENESIS

Platelets may be linked to migraine. On the one hand they are activate d during the migraine attack and thus may participate in the pathogene sis of the disorder (the nature of this activation is still unknown). In order to understand this platelet anomaly, we discuss the data avai lable in the literature. In particular, we review recent in vitro stud ies of alpha-granules and dense bodies secretion, and aggregation indu ced by collagen and PAF. On the other hand, platelets share many metab olic characteristics with serotonergic neurons and endothelial cells. Accordingly, platelets have been used to investigate the possible role of serotonin turnover and nitric oxide function in migraine. In both cases, the data obtained have shown peculiar abnormalities that may ex plain pathogenetic and clinical aspects of primary headache.