Oxidative Stress in Migraine with and Without Aura

Abstract

Migraine is the most common neurological disorder, but the molecular basis is still not completely understood. An impairment of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism might play a role in the pathophysiology. The goal of this study was to investigate the differences in oxidative stress status with the measurement of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the migraine patients with or without aura and attack. There were 56 patients (46 female, 10 male) in the migraine group and 25 matched healthy subjects in the control group. The patients comprised 37 with migraine without aura (MWoA], 19 with migraine with aura (MWA), and 22 with headache attack. The MDA levels of patients in the migraine group were significantly higher than that in the control group. The SOD activity was significantly higher in the MWA as compared to MWoA. There was no significant correlation between these levels and headache attack period. Conclusively, in this preliminary study, we had found increased oxidative stress in the migraine patients especially the patients with MWA. Further knowledge about this issue may contribute the cause and complications of migraine and may be essential for development of treatment approaches.

Is SOD2 Ala16Val Polymorphism Associated with Migraine with Aura Phenotype?

“…A low concentration of platelet SOD levels and a decreased SOD activity in MwA have been reported, suggesting a higher vulnerability to oxidative stress in these patients (7). Higher SOD activity in red cells in patients with MwA compared with those with MwoA, probably due to a relative increase in oxidative stress due to vasoconstriction induced by ROS and associated with occurrence of aura, has also been described (8). Conversely, no changes in SOD concentration in neutrophils and platelets of MwA patients have been described (2), and a not considerable decrease in erythrocytes from 34 young patients suffering from MwoA or MwA was found (2).…”

“…Increased oxidative stress is a key event in migraine physiopathology (2,7,8), and generation of diffusible reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cerebral cortex activates nociceptive transmission during the attack in migraine with aura (MwA) (6). Therefore, antioxidants and ROS scavengers have been suggested as promising therapeutic strategy for migraine (6).…”

Oxidative stress and decreased thiol level in patients with migraine: cross-sectional study

“…Malonyl aldehyde (MDA) is a major indicator of lipid peroxidation and determines the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Glut-px), glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), and catalase (CAT). Studies have shown the lipid peroxidation and levels of these antioxidant enzymes in migraine patients [19][20][21][22][23]. Conversely, studies of this type are few and their results are controversial.…”

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) polymorphisms and risk for migraine

“…Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), oxidative stress markers, have been found increased in plasma [24] and 24-h urine [3,4] of patients with migraine in headache-free periods, and urinary excretion was even more increased during migraine attacks [3]. Malonildialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, has been found increased [25,26] or decreased [2] in erythrocytes, and decreased in serum [2]. Cu/Zn-superoxide-dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) concentrations have been found normal in platelets of patients with migraine [2,21,25] while platelet Cu/Zn-SOD activity has only been found decreased in migraine with aura [21,25].…”

“…Malonildialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, has been found increased [25,26] or decreased [2] in erythrocytes, and decreased in serum [2]. Cu/Zn-superoxide-dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) concentrations have been found normal in platelets of patients with migraine [2,21,25] while platelet Cu/Zn-SOD activity has only been found decreased in migraine with aura [21,25]. Total SOD activity has been found normal [2] or decreased [5] in serum, and normal in platelets [22] and in neutrophils [22].…”