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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The study of circadian rhythms of hormones in PAD reveals impairments in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, GH, PRL, TSH and melatonin secretion. Twenty-four hour cortisol curves show increased number of secretory episodes, increased duration of each episode, increased amount of total cortisol secretion for each episode and of cortisol secretion per minute. Moreover, secretory bursts appear in the late afternoon-evening, when in normal subjects secretion is blunted. In some cases the acrophase is phase-advanced by 1-4 h. GH nocturnal peak is often blunted. PRL nocturnal secretion may also be low, especially in bipolar patients, or the acrophase is 6-8 h phase-advanced. Melatonin nocturnal peak may be blunted and abnormal diurnal peaks are sometimes observed. TSH secretion is normal in bipolar patients; in unipolars, the nocturnal peak, the mean 24-h secretion and the ratio sleep/wakefulness are reduced. The acrophase may be advanced.
Cephalalgia 1983 Aug
PMID:Circadian rhythms of hormones in primary affective disorders. 661 93

Nocturnal urinary melatonin excretion was significantly decreased throughout an ovarian cycle in 12 migraine without aura patients compared to 8 healthy controls. Normal increases in urinary melatonin excretion during the luteal phase was less pronounced in the migraine patients. Melatonin excretion was further decreased during headache. The data indicate impaired pineal function in migraine.
Cephalalgia 1994 Jun
PMID:Urinary melatonin excretion throughout the ovarian cycle in menstrually related migraine. 795 36

The hypnotic action of melatonin 5 mg p.o. was explored in 15 subjects with psychophysiological insomnia in a double-blind controlled self-report questionnaire study. Melatonin or placebo was taken at 20.00 hours for a 1-week period in random order. Effects on sleep and wakefulness were monitored by visual analogue scale and structured interview. Bedtime, sleep onset time, estimated total sleep and wake time, as well as self-rated sleep quality, were not altered by melatonin, and estimates of next-day function did not change. The period of melatonin, treatment was retrospectively correctly identified by 8 of 15 subjects. Despite unchanged ratings of night sleep quality on the last night of each treatment, 7 of 15 subjects reported that sleep had subjectively improved to a minor extent in the week of active treatment. Side-effects attributed to melatonin included headache and an odd taste in the mouth. These data indicate that melatonin is probably of no clinical value in the management of psychophysiological insomnia.
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PMID:Melatonin and insomnia. 879 4

The occurrence of headache and its change after treatment with melatonin 5 mg were studied in 30 patients with delayed sleep phase syndrome. The medication was taken 5 hours before the endogenous nocturnal plasma melatonin concentration had reached 10 pg/mL. Three women (aged 14, 14, and 23 years) suffered from chronic tension-type headache. Their headache disappeared within 2 weeks after the start of treatment with melatonin. One 54-year-old man suffered from disabling migraine attacks without aura, twice a week. After starting melatonin treatment, only three migraine attacks were reported in 12 months. Ever since his 40s, a 60-year-old man complained of cluster headache episodes lasting about 2 months, twice a year. In the year since starting melatonin treatment, only one 5-day cluster episode occurred. Nocturnal melatonin secretion in the patients with delayed sleep phase syndrome and headache did not differ significantly from that in the patients with the sleep disorder but without headache. Melatonin may be helpful in patients with headache who are suffering from delayed sleep phase syndrome. Its effectiveness may be due to modification of vascular and nociceptive systems or to its chronobiological action which adjusts the patient's biological clock to his/her life-style.
Headache 1998 Apr
PMID:Melatonin-responsive headache in delayed sleep phase syndrome: preliminary observations. 959 71

Cluster headache is a stereotypic headache disorder marked by short-lasting bouts of severe unilateral head pain and associated autonomic symptoms. Almost pathognomonic of this condition are nocturnal attacks that usually occur during the first random eye movement sleep phase of the evening. Melatonin levels have been found to be decreased in cluster headache patients. A lack of melatonin secretion may predispose the cluster sufferer to nocturnal and, possibly, daytime attacks. Leone et al. demonstrated that melatonin could rapidly alleviate cluster attacks, but only in episodic cluster patients. We report two chronic cluster headache patients who had both daytime and nocturnal attacks that were alleviated with melatonin.
Cephalalgia 2001 Dec
PMID:Melatonin in the preventive treatment of chronic cluster headache. 1238 68

Cluster headaches are characterized by unilateral paroxysmal attacks of severe pain with associated symptoms. The headaches occur during particular sleep stages and are associated with other chronobiologic factors. Several sleep disorders have been associated with the occurrence of cluster headache; multiple hormonal influences affect the relationship between sleep and headache. Melatonin and other treatments that affect circadian rhythm have been suggested for the treatment of cluster headache. Obstructive sleep apnea can occur in patients with cluster headache; attempts to treat one disorder may influence the other. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy also may be associated with and influence cluster headaches. This article examines the relationship between the various sleep disorders and cluster headache, and reviews current research. Normal and abnormal sleep and details of treatments for specific sleep disorders that may decrease the frequency and severity of cluster headaches also are discussed. The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common sleep disorder, and cluster headache is discussed in detail.
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2003 Apr
PMID:Cluster headaches and sleep disorders. 1262 58

There is now evidence that melatonin may have a role in the biological regulation of circadian rhythms, sleep, mood, and ageing. Altered melatonin levels in cluster headache and migraine have been documented. Melatonin mechanisms are related to headache pathophysiology in many ways, including its anti-inflammatory effect, toxic free radical scavenging, reduction of proinflammatory cytokine up-regulation, nitric oxide synthase activity and dopamine release inhibition, membrane stabilization, GABA and opioid analgesia potentiation, glutamate neurotoxicity protection, neurovascular regulation, serotonin modulation, and the similarity of chemical structure to that of indomethacin. Treatment of headache disorders with melatonin and other chronobiotic agents is promising. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial shows melatonin is effective in cluster headache prevention, other studies also show benefit in other disorders. Melatonin plays an important role in headache disorders, offering new avenues for studying their pathophysiology and treatment.
Cephalalgia 2005 Jun
PMID:Melatonin, the pineal gland and their implications for headache disorders. 1591 May 64

Clinical and paraclinical data (visual stress tests, electroencephalographic and cerebrovascular photic driving, visual evoked potentials) demonstrate that the concept of photosensitive headache is fully justified. The interictal hallmark of photosensitive cephalalgic patients is potentiation (or sensitization) instead of habituation. The aetiopathogenic mechanisms of photosensitive headache associate hypofunction of the biological clock and magnesium depletion. The new concept of headache due to photosensitive magnesium depletion seems justified. It appears logical to add the treatments of magnesium depletion and of photosensitivity to classical treatment of headache. Prophylactic magnesium treatment relies on atoxic nutritional magnesium supplementation in case of primary magnesium deficiency. Pharmacological doses of parenteral magnesium may be used but may induce toxicity. Therefore it is necessary to know the therapeutic index of magnesium compound used: the larger its value, the greater the safety margin. Treatment of photosensitivity uses various types of <<darkness therapies>>: darkness therapy through physiologic, psychotherapic, physiotherapic, pharmacologic stimulating techniques and substitutive darkness therapy through palliative treatment. Melatonin is only a partial substitutive treatment of photosensitivity. A new model of photosensitive magnesium depletion with potentiation should be a useful tool for discriminating the most efficient gent.
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PMID:Headache due to photosensitive magnesium depletion. 1610 Aug 49

For decades, glucocorticoid therapy has been a well-recognized abortive treatment for cluster headaches. However, the role of steroid hormones, including both glucocorticoids and sex steroids, in the pathophysiology and therapy of cluster headaches has been a topic of much debate and speculation. Current research now points to the importance of cortisol and testosterone in the pathogenesis of cluster headaches, and they appear to be linked mechanistically to another hormone, melatonin. Melatonin, unlike cortisol or testosterone, is not a product of the hypothalamic pituitary axis but of the retinohypothalamic pineal axis, and is the major biomarker of circadian rhythms. The regulation of steroids and melatonin in the pathogenesis of cluster headaches in turn depends on the sympathetic nervous system. Accumulated evidence suggests sympathetic dysfunction--embodied in the Horner sign so commonly seen in the cluster headache--as a necessary ingredient in the inception of the cluster headache. Sympathetic dysfunction now is thought to be associated with the hypercortisolism, hypotestosteronism, and lower-than-normal melatonin levels in the active cluster patient. Future research may hold the key to a fuller explanation of the complex interaction of hormonal systems in the cluster headache.
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2006 Apr
PMID:Steroid hormones in cluster headaches. 1653 69

There is increasing evidence that headache disorders are connected with melatonin secretion and pineal function. Some headaches have a clearcut seasonal and circadian pattern, such as cluster and hypnic headaches. Melatonin levels have been found to be decreased in both migraine and cluster headaches. Melatonin mechanisms are related to headache pathophysiology in many ways, including its anti-inflammatory effect, toxic free radical scavenging, reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine upregulation, nitric oxide synthase activity and dopamine release inhibition, membrane stabilisation, GABA and opioid analgesia potentitation, glutamate neurotoxicity protection, neurovascular regulation, 5-HT modulation and the similarity in chemical structure to indometacin. The treatment of headache disorders with melatonin and other chronobiotic agents, such as melatonin agonists (ramelteon and agomelatin), is promising and there is a great potential for their use in headache treatment.
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PMID:Potential therapeutic use of melatonin in migraine and other headache disorders. 1654 86


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