Vascular headache syndromes such as migraine are among the most common of all medical problems. However, the neural basis of vascular headache is poorly understood and highly controversial. Current research on the mechanisms of vascular headache has focused on the role of a pain- sensitive sensory innervation of cranial blood vessels that arises from the trigeminal nerve. Further understanding of the role of this sensory pathway in vascular head pain is limited by critical gaps in our knowledge of those properties of the pathway that relate specifically to its sensory function and the transmission of nociceptive information. In order to better understand the peripheral mechanisms of vascular head pain, the proposed studies will characterize the physiological properties of primary afferent neurons that innervate the major blood vessels of the intracranial dura. Single-unit recording will be used to study the discharge activity of dural primary afferent neurons during graded mechanical, thermal, and chemical vascular stimulation in anesthetized rats. Repeated stimulation paradigms will be carried out to investigate sensitization induced by different forms of vascular stimulation. The information provided by these studies will be critical for further progress in understanding the neural basis of vascular head pain.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS032534-02
Application #
2393119
Study Section
Neurological Sciences Subcommittee 1 (NLS)
Program Officer
Marler, John R
Project Start
1996-05-01
Project End
1999-03-31
Budget Start
1997-04-01
Budget End
1998-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
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Zhang, Xi-Chun; Kainz, Vanessa; Jakubowski, Moshe et al. (2009) Localization of COX-1 and COX-2 in the intracranial dura mater of the rat. Neurosci Lett 452:33-6
Zhang, X-C; Levy, D (2008) Modulation of meningeal nociceptors mechanosensitivity by peripheral proteinase-activated receptor-2: the role of mast cells. Cephalalgia 28:276-84
Levy, Dan; Burstein, Rami; Kainz, Vanessa et al. (2007) Mast cell degranulation activates a pain pathway underlying migraine headache. Pain 130:166-76
Zhang, Xi-Chun; Strassman, Andrew M; Burstein, Rami et al. (2007) Sensitization and activation of intracranial meningeal nociceptors by mast cell mediators. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 322:806-12
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Levy, Dan; Burstein, Rami; Strassman, Andrew M (2005) Calcitonin gene-related peptide does not excite or sensitize meningeal nociceptors: implications for the pathophysiology of migraine. Ann Neurol 58:698-705
Strassman, Andrew M; Levy, Dan (2004) The anti-migraine agent sumatriptan induces a calcium-dependent discharge in meningeal sensory neurons. Neuroreport 15:1409-12
Strassman, Andrew M; Weissner, Wendi; Williams, Molly et al. (2004) Axon diameters and intradural trajectories of the dural innervation in the rat. J Comp Neurol 473:364-76

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