Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

The 42nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology

Edicational Lecture VII:
Clinical progress in headache

Kenji Nakashima, MD

Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Totttori University

In Western communities, 15 to 20% of the general population experiences migraine headaches. In Japan,3 to 9% of the population experience migraine headaches. Quality of life in headache patients is impaired. The International Headache Society (IHS) published the new headache classification in 1988. Chronic daily headache (CDH) is a common problem in headache clinics. Recently, the problems in classifying CDH have been discussed. CDH is not easily classified within the IHS criteria. For migraine attacks, triptans are effective. The genetic analysis in migraine is progressing. Point mutations in the P/Q-type Ca2+ channel α 1 subunit gene in familial hemiplegic migraine and in Notch 3 gene in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), have been identified. Although CADASIL patients in Europe often show migraine headache, migraine attacks are less common in Japanese CADASIL patients.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 41: 1183|1186, 2001)
key words: migraine, triptans, calcium channel blockers, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy: CADASIL

(Received: 13-May-01)