Scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have discovered three genes tied to incapacitating headaches known as migraines.
Migraines are characterized by recurring severe headaches, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
In a study published Sunday in the British journal Nature Genetics, researchers found that the genes – PRDM16, TRPM8 and LRP1 were specifically linked to migraines. Additionally, the gene, TRPM8, was found more frequently in women.
These findings were significant given that women are three to four times more likely to experience migraines than men. “While migraines remain incompletely understood and its underlying causes difficult to pin down, identifying these three genetic variants helps shed light on the biological roots for this common and debilitating condition,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Daniel Chasman, assistant professor in the preventive medicine division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said in a hospital news release.
The precise cause of migraines in unknown. However scientists believe that migraines are caused by a brain disorder in which brain cells, or neurons, respond abnormally to stimuli. Scientists also speculate that genetic inheritance is a significant factor as well.
Researchers found that people who inherit any one of these genes have a 10 to 15 percent greater risk for migraines. The influence of these genes is probably not large enough to be immediately used as a diagnostic tool. But the findings are “an advancement of the understanding of migraine biology,” added Dr. Markus Schurks, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
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