偏头痛的旧血管学说将先兆归因于收缩并将头痛归因于颅内血管的反射性扩张,此学说已遭到质疑。[20]Friberg L, Olesen J, Lassen NA, et al. Cerebral oxygen extraction, oxygen consumption, and regional cerebral blood flow during the aura phase of migraine. Stroke. 1994 May;25(5):974-9.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8165693?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Olesen J, Friberg L, Olsen TS, et al. Timing and topography of cerebral blood flow, aura, and headache during migraine attacks. Ann Neurol. 1990 Dec;28(6):791-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2285266?tool=bestpractice.com 然而,一项研究已发现与偏头痛相关的脑白质病变分布还与高血压的重叠。[22]Rostrup E, Gouw AA, Vrenken H, et al. The spatial distribution of age-related white matter changes as a function of vascular risk factors - results from the LADIS study. Neuroimage. 2012 Apr 15;60(3):1597-607.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22305990?tool=bestpractice.com 偏头痛是神经活动发生在前并引发头痛神经血管障碍。
偏头痛性头痛由三叉神经第一分支感觉神经元(使脑的大血管和脑膜受神经支配)的神经源性炎症引起。 这会导致大脑处理疼痛方式的改变。[23]Pietrobon D, Streissnig J. Neurobiology of migraine. Nat Rev. 2003 May;4(5):386-98.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12728266?tool=bestpractice.com 数据表明偏头痛期间脑干区域的神经元活动增加,并且即使在头痛通过曲普坦得到缓解时这种现象仍然存在。 尚不清楚这种脑干活动是否可体现偏头痛(所谓的“源于脑干”)的原因或反而表示内源性疼痛控制系统的激活。[24]Weiller C, May A, Limmroth V, et al. Brain stem activation in spontaneous human migraine attacks. Nat Med. 1995 Jul;1(7):658-60.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7585147?tool=bestpractice.com[25]Bahra A, Matharu MS, Buchel C, et al. Brainstem activation specific to migraine headache. Lancet. 2001 Mar 31;357(9261):1016-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11293599?tool=bestpractice.com
被激活时,三叉神经则释放可引起脑膜血管扩张、血浆蛋白渗入周围组织及血小板活化的物质。[26]Markowitz S, Saito K, Moskowitz MA. Neurogenically mediated plasma extravasation in dura mater: effect of ergot alkaloids. A possible mechanism of action in vascular headache. Cephalalgia. 1988;8:83-91.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3401921?tool=bestpractice.com[27]Buzzi MG, Moskowitz MA. Evidence for 5-HT1B/1D receptors mediating the antimigraine effect of sumatriptan and dihydroergotamine. Cephalalgia. 1991 Sep;11(4):165-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1660351?tool=bestpractice.com[28]Uddman R, Edvinsson L, Ekman R, et al. Innervation of the feline cerebral vasculature by nerve fibers containing calcitonin gene-related peptide: trigeminal origin and co-existence with substance P. Neurosci Lett. 1985 Nov 20;62(1):131-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2415882?tool=bestpractice.com 这使神经纤维变得敏感以至于先前忽略的刺激(例如脑膜血管的正常脉动)被解读为疼痛(外周敏化)。[29]Strassman AM, Raymond SA, Burstein R. Sensitization of meningeal sensory neurons and the origin of headaches. Nature. 1996 Dec 12;384(6609):560-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8955268?tool=bestpractice.com 这很可能解释偏头痛性疼痛的脉动、搏动特征。[30]Moskowitz MA, Cutrer FM. Sumatriptan: a receptor-targeted treatment for migraine. Annu Rev Med. 1993;44:145-54.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8386498?tool=bestpractice.com 如果头痛持续,则二、三级神经元变得敏感(中枢敏化),且皮肤刺激(如轻触)被解读为疼痛。[31]Nozaki K, Boccalini P, Moskowitz MA. Expression of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in brainstem after meningeal irritation by blood in the subarachnoid space. Neuroscience. 1992 Aug;49(3):669-80.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1501769?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Kaube H, Keay KA, Hoskin KL, et al. Expression of c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in the caudal medulla and upper cervical spinal cord following stimulation of the superior sagittal sinus in the cat. Brain Res. 1993;629:95-102.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8287282?tool=bestpractice.com
先兆由神经元功能障碍引起。[21]Olesen J, Friberg L, Olsen TS, et al. Timing and topography of cerebral blood flow, aura, and headache during migraine attacks. Ann Neurol. 1990 Dec;28(6):791-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2285266?tool=bestpractice.com[33]Sanchez del Rio M, Bakker D, Wu O, et al. Perfusion weighted imaging during migraine: spontaneous visual aura and headache. Cephalalgia. 1999 Oct;19(8):701-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10570723?tool=bestpractice.com[34]Cutrer FM, Sorensen AG, Weisskoff RM, et al. Perfusion-weighted imaging defects during spontaneous migrainous aura. Ann Neurol. 1998;43:25-31.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9450765?tool=bestpractice.com[35]Cao Y, Aurora SK, Nagesh V, et al. Functional MRI-BOLD of brainstem structures during visually triggered migraine. Neurology. 2002 Jul 9;59(1):72-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12105310?tool=bestpractice.com 一波神经元兴奋在皮质内以 3 至 5 mm/分钟的速率(与报告的视觉症状变化速率有时间相关性)向前传播。接着,神经元活动长时间减少,最终神经元功能恢复。皮质抑制导致兴奋性氨基酸类和其他兴奋介质的释放,从而造成相邻硬脑膜和血管的伤害感受器激活,以及三叉神经感觉核的激活。[36]Charles A, Brennan K. Cortical spreading depression-new insights and persistent questions. Cephalalgia. 2009 Oct;29(10):1115-24.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19735537?tool=bestpractice.com 尚不清楚在无先兆偏头痛中这些神经元是如何被触发,但一种假设是,在无先兆偏头痛中皮质扩展性抑制发生在脑中不产生可识别先兆症状的‘沉默’区域。[37]Kandere-Grzybowska K, Gheorghe D, Priller J, et al. Stress-induced dura vascular permeability does not develop in mast cell-deficient and neurokinin-1 receptor knockout mice. Brain Res. 2003 Aug 8;980(2):213-20.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12867261?tool=bestpractice.com