This study tested two contrasting theories of how trigger factors acquire t
he capacity to precipitate headaches. The sample consisted of 110 participa
nts, of whom 48 suffered from regular headaches. Participants were exposed
to a validated headache trigger factor for one of five exposure durations.
The trigger used was "visual disturbance" (flicker, glare and eyestrain) in
duced by a very bright, stroboscopic light. Response to the stimulus was me
asured by participant ratings of the degree of visual disturbance and head
pain caused by the stimulus. As expected, the headache sufferers experience
d more visual disturbance and head pain in response to the stimulus than th
e non-headache individuals. Longer exposure to the stimulus was associated
with a subsequent reduction in pain ratings in response to the stimulus. Th
is desensitization effect supported an avoidance model of how trigger facto
rs acquire the capacity to precipitate headaches. The findings of this stud
y have implications for the etiology of headache disorders. Also, the findi
ngs imply that the traditional clinical advice that the best way to prevent
migraine and headache is to avoid the factors that trigger them, may be co
unterproductive, as any short-term gains may be more than wiped out by decr
eased tolerance for the trigger factors. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
rights reserved.