In a fresh development, a mouse study, that may usher in hope to people who suffer from debilitating migraine headaches, researchers have discovered an entirely novel way that the brain communicates with nerves, which may explain why migraines occur and how to treat them. 

Researchers from multiple institutions, including the University of Copenhagen and the University of Rochester Medical Centre, discovered that a quick rush of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and specific proteins in the brain can activate neurons, resulting in migraine headaches with aura. Some people experience sensory disruptions like light flashes or blind patches before migraines, known as auras.

In the study, scientists found that a rapid rush of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and certain proteins in the brain can activate neurons, leading to migraine headaches with aura. Aura refers to sensory disturbances like flashes of light or blind spots that some people experience before a migraine.

Dr Martin Rasmussen and his team identified a new signalling method between the brain and the body's sensory system. This mechanism could become a target for new migraine medications. They discovered that during a migraine, waves of activity in the brain, called cortical spreading depression (CSD), release small molecules into the CSF. These molecules then activate pain receptors in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which are outside the brain.

"Although this work provides some of the strongest data to date for the role of the glymphatic system in migraine, there is much to discover about the foundational role that fluid and solute transport play in neurobiological processes," writes Andrew Russo and Jeffery Iliff in a related perspective.

The team used various methods, including studying proteins and imaging, to observe this process in a mouse model of migraines. They focused on the trigeminal ganglion, a group of nerve cells that play a key role in headache pain. Unlike other parts of the brain, this area is not well-protected by a barrier, allowing CSF and signalling molecules to interact with nerve cells directly.

The study found that 11% of the proteins in the CSF changed during CSD events. This included more calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) proteins, which directly activate the trigeminal ganglion. This discovery helps explain how migraines with aura happen and opens up new possibilities for treatments.

This research marks an important step in understanding migraines and highlights the potential for new drugs to target these newly discovered pathways, offering relief for millions of migraine sufferers worldwide.