Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and cluster headache

Belin, Andrea Carmine ; Ran, Caroline and Edvinsson, Lars LU (2020) In Brain Sciences 10(1).
Abstract

Cluster headache (CH) is a severe primary headache with a prevalence of 1/1000 individuals, and a predominance in men. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a potent vasodilator, originating in trigeminal neurons and has a central role in CH pathophysiology. CGRP and the CGRP receptor complex have recently taken center stage as therapeutic targets for primary headaches, such as migraine. Multiple CGRP and CGRP receptor monoclonal antibodies, as well as small molecule antagonists (gepants) are on their way constituting a new frontier of migraine and possibly CH medication. During a CH attack, there is an activation of the trigeminal-autonomic reflex with the release of CGRP, and inversely if CGRP is administered to a CH patient in an... (More)

Cluster headache (CH) is a severe primary headache with a prevalence of 1/1000 individuals, and a predominance in men. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a potent vasodilator, originating in trigeminal neurons and has a central role in CH pathophysiology. CGRP and the CGRP receptor complex have recently taken center stage as therapeutic targets for primary headaches, such as migraine. Multiple CGRP and CGRP receptor monoclonal antibodies, as well as small molecule antagonists (gepants) are on their way constituting a new frontier of migraine and possibly CH medication. During a CH attack, there is an activation of the trigeminal-autonomic reflex with the release of CGRP, and inversely if CGRP is administered to a CH patient in an active disease phase, it triggers an attack. Increased levels of CGRP have been found in ipsilateral jugular vein blood during the active phase of CH. This process is hypothesized to have a key role in the intense pain perception and in the associated distinctive vasodilation. So far, clinical tests of CGRP antibodies have been inconclusive in CH patients. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the role of CGRP in CH pathology, and as a target for future treatments.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Antibodies, Genetics, Neurovascular, Receptor, Vasodilator
in
Brain Sciences
volume
10
issue
1
article number
30
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:31935868
  • scopus:85078250479
ISSN
2076-3425
DOI
10.3390/brainsci10010030
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
de44453f-818c-4e8d-b33b-fbdcb94ad5df
date added to LUP
2020-02-06 16:51:24
date last changed
2024-04-17 03:54:45
@article{de44453f-818c-4e8d-b33b-fbdcb94ad5df,
  abstract     = {{<p>Cluster headache (CH) is a severe primary headache with a prevalence of 1/1000 individuals, and a predominance in men. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a potent vasodilator, originating in trigeminal neurons and has a central role in CH pathophysiology. CGRP and the CGRP receptor complex have recently taken center stage as therapeutic targets for primary headaches, such as migraine. Multiple CGRP and CGRP receptor monoclonal antibodies, as well as small molecule antagonists (gepants) are on their way constituting a new frontier of migraine and possibly CH medication. During a CH attack, there is an activation of the trigeminal-autonomic reflex with the release of CGRP, and inversely if CGRP is administered to a CH patient in an active disease phase, it triggers an attack. Increased levels of CGRP have been found in ipsilateral jugular vein blood during the active phase of CH. This process is hypothesized to have a key role in the intense pain perception and in the associated distinctive vasodilation. So far, clinical tests of CGRP antibodies have been inconclusive in CH patients. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the role of CGRP in CH pathology, and as a target for future treatments.</p>}},
  author       = {{Belin, Andrea Carmine and Ran, Caroline and Edvinsson, Lars}},
  issn         = {{2076-3425}},
  keywords     = {{Antibodies; Genetics; Neurovascular; Receptor; Vasodilator}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Brain Sciences}},
  title        = {{Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and cluster headache}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10010030}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/brainsci10010030}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}