PLASMA-LEVELS OF NEUROEXCITATORY AMINO-ACIDS IN PATIENTS WITH MIGRAINE OR TENSION HEADACHE

Plasma amino acids were analysed in patients with migraine with (9) an d without (80) aura, in patients with tension headache (14) and in con trols (62). The neuroexcitatory amino acids glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, cysteic acid and homocysteic acid were elevated in migraine p atients while total thiols (cysteine/cystine) were reduced. Patients w ith tension headache had values which were similar to those of control s. Tryptophan was elevated in migraine patients without aura only. Stu dies on two patients showed that the raised resting excitatory amino a cid levels became still further elevated during a migraine attack. The se results show that high concentrations of neurotransmitter amino aci ds occur normally in migraine patients and suggest that this profile m ay be a contributory factor in migraine attacks. Tension headache, how ever, has different biochemical parameters. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.