Migraine is a common, yet often disabling, neurological disease that affects over 1 billion people around the world. It's the second most disabling disease globally and the leading cause of disability for people under the age of 50, especially women. The effects of migraine aren't limited to the individual, with a tremendous economic impact on families, friends, and employers. To help reduce this burden, research is now focusing on developing biomarkers that can help with diagnosis, predicting response to treatments, and identifying those at risk of developing chronic migraine. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are one of the most promising classes, as they can modulate gene expression and affect a wide range of cellular processes. Other studies have already observed different miRNA expression in those with episodic migraine or chronic migraine, but no specific miRNAs have been identified as a strong and specific migraine signature. miRNA-155 is of particular interest, as it has been linked to inflammation and pain, and may be a potential target for migraine treatments. It is known that the immune system plays a role in migraine headaches. Monocytes, a type of immune cell, may be involved in the development of migraines. Certain medicines, such as aspirin, can affect monocyte function and have been used to treat migraines. Recent research has also shown that microRNAs can regulate the activity of these cells and influence inflammation, which may be linked to migraine attacks. This study aims to investigate the role of miRNA-155 and monocyte differentiation in migraine patients, and in particular its association with migraine phenotype and severity. We aim to study three groups of subjects: Episodic migraine (EM), Chronic migraine with or without Medication Overuse Headache (CM-MOH) and Healthy Controls (HCs).
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Comparison of miR-155 expression in peripheral monocytes between the three study groups: chronic migraine, episodic migraine and healthy control.
Timeframe: Baseline (T0).