Abnormal Platelet Mitochondrial Function in Patients Affected by Migraine With and Without Aura

Abstract

To investigate energy metabolism in migraine, we determined platelet mitochondrial enzyme activities in 40 patients with migraine with aura and in 40 patients with migraine without aura during attack-free intervals and in 24 healthy control subjects. NADH-dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and cytochrome-c-oxidase activities in both patient groups were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.01), while NADH-cytochrome-c-reductase activity was reduced only in migraine with aura (p < 0.01). No alteration in succinate-dehydrogenase was observed. Monoamine-oxidase activity differed between sexes (p < 0.05) but within each sex group no difference was observed between patients and controls. We hypothesize that the defect in mitochondrial enzymes observed indicates a systemic impairment of mitochondrial function in migraine patients.

31P-MRS demonstrates a reduction in high-energy phosphates in the occipital lobe of migraine without aura patients

“…Platelet mitochondrial enzyme activities were found significantly lower in MwoA patients than in controls (53). Plasma lactate and pyruvate levels were found significantly increased in migraine patients compared to controls (54).…”

Mitochondrial DNA control region sequence variation in migraine headache and cyclic vomiting syndrome

“…Our more recent data has demonstrated the same strong maternal inheritance bias in CVS cases without coexisting neuromuscular disease [Boles et al, submitted for publication to Am J Med Genet]. Other data supporting a mtDNA component in the pathogenesis of migraine headache and CVS include lactic acidosis in both conditions [Montagna et al, 1988;Okada et al, 1998;Boles et al, 2003a], energy depleted urine organic acid metabolite profiles in CVS [Boles and Williams, 1999;Boles et al, 2003a]; decreased oxidative phosphorylation activities in both conditions [Montagna et al, 1988;Sangiorgi et al, 1994;Boles et al, 2003a], and reduced in vivo brain phosphocreatine to inorganic phosphate ratio by 31 P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in migraine headache [reviewed in Montagna et al, 1994].…”

Functional mitochondrial analysis in acute brain sections from adult rats reveals mitochondrial dysfunction in a rat model of migraine

“…Histological studies have revealed ragged-red fibers and cytochrome-c-oxidase-negative fibers in skeletal muscle of patients with migraines with prolonged aura (7,53). Biochemical studies and imaging studies have demonstrated decreased activity in the ETC complexes and metabolic abnormalities of patients with migraines (7,44,55). Increased plasma lactate levels and impaired brain oxidative energy metabolism have been observed in migraineurs during and between migraine attacks (36,47).…”