Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Nov;30(11):3605-3621.
doi: 10.1111/ene.15934. Epub 2023 Jul 7.

Making migraine easier to stomach: the role of the gut-brain-immune axis in headache disorders

Marissa Sgro  1 , Jason Ray  1   2   3 , Emma Foster  1   2   4 , Richelle Mychasiuk  1
Affiliations
Review

Making migraine easier to stomach: the role of the gut-brain-immune axis in headache disorders

Marissa Sgro et al. Eur J Neurol. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Headache disorders place a significant burden on the healthcare system, being the leading cause of disability in those under 50 years. Novel studies have interrogated the relationship between headache disorders and gastrointestinal dysfunction, suggesting a link between the gut-brain-immune (GBI) axis and headache pathogenesis. Although the exact mechanisms driving the complex relationship between the GBI axis and headache disorders remain unclear, there is a growing appreciation that a healthy and diverse microbiome is necessary for optimal brain health.

Methods: A literature search was performed through multiple reputable databases in search of Q1 journals within the field of headache disorders and gut microbiome research and were critically and appropriately evaluated to investigate and explore the following; the role of the GBI axis in dietary triggers of headache disorders and the evidence indicating that diet can be used to alleviate headache severity and frequency. The relationship between the GBI axis and post-traumatic headache is then synthesized. Finally, the scarcity of literature regarding paediatric headache disorders and the role that the GBI axis plays in mediating the relationship between sex hormones and headache disorders are highlighted.

Conclusions: There is potential for novel therapeutic targets for headache disorders if understanding of the GBI axis in their aetiology, pathogenesis and recovery is increased.

Keywords: cluster; diet; microbiome; migraine; narrative review; paediatric; tension-type.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Stovner LJ, Nichols E, Steiner TJ, et al. Global, regional, and national burden of migraine and tension-type headache, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17(11):954-976.
    1. Steiner TJ, Stovner LJ, Vos T, Jensen R, Katsarava Z. Migraine is first cause of disability in under 50s: will health politicians now take notice? J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):17.
    1. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd ed Cephalalgia. 2018;38(1):1-211.
    1. Ray J, Kapoor M, Stark R, et al. Calcitonin gene related peptide in migraine: current therapeutics, future implications and potential off-target effects. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2021;92:1325-1334.
    1. Skofitsch G, Jacobowitz D. Calcitonin gene-related peptide: detailed immunohistochemical distribution in the central nervous system. Peptides. 1985;6(4):721-745.

LinkOut - more resources