About this Research Topic
Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders, becoming two to three times more prevalent in women than men. Physiological changes in the hormonal status (through menarche, menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, as well as the use of oral contraceptives) may modulate the functional status of pain and analgesic systems of the brain and, by involving different pathophysiological mechanisms, may change the course of migraine. A growing body of evidence also supports underlying genetic variance, which accounts for sex differences. Women report a longer attack duration, increased risk of headache recurrence, greater disability, and a longer period of time required to recover.
Conditions recognized to be comorbid with migraine include depression, anxiety and other chronic pain conditions, and these comorbidities add to the amount of disability in both sexes. Migraine, particularly with aura, has been identified as a risk factor for vascular disorders in women, but because of the scarcity of data, the comparative risk in men has yet to be established. Although migraine is often recognized in women, it is underdiagnosed in men, resulting in suboptimal management and less participation of men in clinical trials.
Men and women may also respond differently to both pain and pain medication. Several psychosocial and demographic (i.e., body composition, metabolism) elements of gender have been associated with altered analgesic use profiles and efficacy. Clinicians need to be mindful of these gender differences in the management of migraineurs, especially nowadays with the availability of new target therapies (anti-CGRP molecules).
The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the effects of sex and gender on the expression of migraine and responses to therapy, from a genetic, pathophysiological, biological, prognostic and clinical point of view.
Topic Editors welcome submissions of Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Case reports and Opinions in the following areas:
- clinical features and treatment of migraine in women population at different periods of life, with particular attention on menstrual migraine, pregnancy and lactation;
- use of oral contraceptives in women with migraine according to the ratio of potential benefit to cardiovascular risk;
- new views on pathogenetic and biomolecular mechanisms of migraine in women
- molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying the gender differences
- new paradigms in the management strategies stratified by sex and gender/by considering the individual experience of pain
- sex- and gender-based differences in the migraine treatment response
Conditions recognized to be comorbid with migraine include depression, anxiety and other chronic pain conditions, and these comorbidities add to the amount of disability in both sexes. Migraine, particularly with aura, has been identified as a risk factor for vascular disorders in women, but because of the scarcity of data, the comparative risk in men has yet to be established. Although migraine is often recognized in women, it is underdiagnosed in men, resulting in suboptimal management and less participation of men in clinical trials.
Men and women may also respond differently to both pain and pain medication. Several psychosocial and demographic (i.e., body composition, metabolism) elements of gender have been associated with altered analgesic use profiles and efficacy. Clinicians need to be mindful of these gender differences in the management of migraineurs, especially nowadays with the availability of new target therapies (anti-CGRP molecules).
The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the effects of sex and gender on the expression of migraine and responses to therapy, from a genetic, pathophysiological, biological, prognostic and clinical point of view.
Topic Editors welcome submissions of Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Case reports and Opinions in the following areas:
- clinical features and treatment of migraine in women population at different periods of life, with particular attention on menstrual migraine, pregnancy and lactation;
- use of oral contraceptives in women with migraine according to the ratio of potential benefit to cardiovascular risk;
- new views on pathogenetic and biomolecular mechanisms of migraine in women
- molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying the gender differences
- new paradigms in the management strategies stratified by sex and gender/by considering the individual experience of pain
- sex- and gender-based differences in the migraine treatment response
Keywords: estrogens, lactation, menstrual migraine, pregnancy, perimenopause, post-menopause, sex, gender, contraceptives, treatment, neuroinflammation, progesterone, comorbidities.
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