The Influence of Plasma Free Fatty Acids and Cholesterol on the Aggregation of Blood Platelets in Migraine Patients

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The Platelet Aggregate Ratio (PAR) was determined in 34 women with common migraine during headache‐free intervals. Fourteen of them were studied also during migraine attacks. The levels of FFA and total cholesterol in the blood were determined simultaneously to assess their influence on aggregation of blood platelets. Plasma FFA levels rose significantly during headache (r<0.001). The levels of total blood cholesterol did not show a homogenous distribution. In 20 patients blood cholesterol was elevated; in the remaining 14 patients levels were within the standard range. The migraineurs with high cholesterol showed a significantly lower PAR during headache‐free intervals than did the control subjects (r<0.001). There was no significant difference between PAR in migraineurs with normal cholesterol and the controls. A significant fall of PAR during migraine attacks was observed only in migraineurs with high cholesterol (r<0.01). There was a significant correlation between the falling of PAR and the level of blood cholesterol (r<0.05). The same correlation was found between the falling of PAR and the rising of FFA during migraine attacks (r<0.05). We suggest that FFA can raise the number of circulating platelet aggregates during migraine episodes. Total blood cholesterol is one of the factors which define migraine populations with respect to platelet aggregation.

Muscle Contraction Headache and Migraine: Platelet Activation and Plasma Norepinephrine During the Cold Pressor Test

“…FFA are recognized as humoral factors which can elicit platelet aggregation and platelet release in migraine (13,20,39,40). FFA changes were not remarkable after the stress loads and did not significantly correlate with the PF4 increase.…”

“…The behaviour of the above three substances in MCH was similar to that in migraine throughout the present study. • Cold pressor test, migraine, muscle contraction headache (MCH), norepinephrine (NE), platelet factor 4 (PF4) Takao Accepted 1 November 1988 Platelet hyperactivity in migraine has been well documented and seems to be generally accepted (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). At the present time, one of the most important problems concerning the platelet function is whether the platelet abnormality is an essential one or only an epiphenomenon in the pathophysiology of the migraine attack.…”

“…It is noteworthy that some of these observations were obtained during headache-free periods (4,(6)(7)(8)10). On the contrary, several investigators have obtained some evidence to the effect that the platelet abnormality in migraine is an epiphenomenon (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Some researchers who are opposed to the platelet hypothesis believe that platelet activation in migraine patients is caused by the stress of pain or sympathetic hyperactivity (16,17).…”

A new hypothesis linking oxytocin to menstrual migraine

“…79 Cholesterol (total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein) levels are highest during the follicular phase and decline during the luteal phase reaching the lowest levels just before menstruation 68,80 corresponding to times associated with MRM attacks (see Figure 2B). Although some studies show elevated overall cholesterol levels in some migraine patients, [81][82][83] levels of cholesterol and OT have not been co-serially investigated in MRM patients.…”

The search for migraine genes: an overview of current knowledge

“…LDLR is located in the migraineimplicated region 19p13 and has a role in cholesterol homeostasis. Cholesterol levels have been shown to influence platelet behaviour in migraine patients [167], and migraineurs with aura have been reported to have an increased likelihood of an unfavourable cholesterol profile [168]. Interestingly, in a study performed in our laboratory, a role for the same LDLR variant studied by Mochi et al (2003a) could not be found [169].…”