1H-MRS reveals abnormal energy metabolism and excitatory-inhibitory imbalance in a chronic migraine-like state induced by nitroglycerin in mice

Abstract

Background Chronic migraine is closely related to the dysregulation of neurochemical substances in the brain, with metabolic imbalance being one of the proposed causes of chronic migraine. This study aims to evaluate the metabolic changes between energy metabolism and excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in key brain regions of mice with chronic migraine-like state and to uncover the dysfunctional pathways of migraine. Methods A chronic migraine-like state mouse model was established by repeated administration of nitroglycerin (NTG). We used von Frey filaments to assess the mechanical thresholds of the hind paw and periorbital in wild-type and familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 mice. After the experiments, tissue was collected from five brain regions: the somatosensory cortex (SSP), hippocampus, thalamus (TH), hypothalamus, and the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS) was employed to study the changes in brain metabolites associated with migraine, aiming to explore the mechanisms underlying metabolic imbalance in chronic migraine-like state. Results In NTG-induced chronic migraine-like state model, we observed a significant reduction in energy metabolism during central sensitization, an increase in excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate, and a tendency for inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA to decrease. The TNC and thalamus were the most affected regions. Furthermore, the consistency of N-acetylaspartate levels highlighted the importance of the TNC-TH-SSP pathway in the ascending nociceptive transmission of migraine. Conclusion Abnormal energy metabolism and neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain region of NTG-induced chronic migraine-like state model are crucial mechanisms contributing to the chronicity of migraine. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10194-024-01872-6.