Linking Migraine to Gut Dysbiosis and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases

Abstract

In the world, migraine is one of the most common causes of disability in adults. To date, there is no a single cause for this disorder, but rather a set of physio-pathogenic triggers in combination with a genetic predisposition. Among the factors related to migraine onset, a crucial role seems to be played by gut dysbiosis. In fact, it has been demonstrated how the intestine is able to modulate the central nervous system activities, through the gut–brain axis, and how gut dysbiosis can influence neurological pathologies, including migraine attacks. In this context, in addition to conventional pharmacological treatments for migraine, attention has been paid to an adjuvant therapeutic strategy based on different nutritional approaches and lifestyle changes able to positively modulate the gut microbiota composition. In fact, the restoration of the balance between the different gut bacterial species, the reconstruction of the gut barrier integrity, and the control of the release of gut-derived inflammatory neuropeptides, obtained through specific nutritional patterns and lifestyle changes, represent a possible beneficial additive therapy for many migraine subtypes. Herein, this review explores the bi-directional correlation between migraine and the main chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, obesity, cancer, and chronic kidney diseases, whose link is represented by gut dysbiosis.

Associations between Chronic Kidney Disease and Migraine Incidence: Findings from a Korean Longitudinal Big Data Study

“…Hypertension is a prevalent comorbidity among CKD patients [3] and is associated with an elevated risk of migraines [10]. It is plausible that CKD patients in advanced stages may experience a greater incidence of migraines, possibly due to factors such as oxidative stress, uremic toxin accumulation, or fluctuations in blood pressure [35]. Since CKD and migraines share common contributing factors, such as menopause, smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity [10,36], the absence of these shared risk factors may contribute to the decreased likelihood of migraines in CKD patients and the absence of this shared risk factor profile could contribute to the decreased likelihood of migraines in CKD patients.…”

Health equity, care access and quality in headache – part 1

“…Gut dysbiosis in combination with genetic predisposition seems to modulate migraine attacks, and some theories suggest that the microbiome-gut-brain axis can link not only to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases [ 34 – 36 ] but also to other potentially reversible neurological diseases, such as migraine and long COVID headache [ 36 – 38 ].…”

A Narrative Review of Intestinal Microbiota’s Impact on Migraine with Psychopathologies

“…Consequently, it is plausible that changes in the microbial population might also trigger depression in these subjects, especially since antimigraine drugs can themselves alter the gut flora [ 113 ]. Preclinical and clinical research linked changes in the gut microbiome to mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, [ 65 , 114 , 115 ], and microbiota dysbiosis also appears to represent an important trigger for the onset of migraine and for its chronic development [ 116 ]. However, few studies have investigated microbiota changes associated with depression and anxiety in people with migraine [ 49 , 52 ].…”