Due to its recurrent yet unpredictable nature, it is challenging to study the ictal phase of migraine without aura. With the introduction of experimental human migraine models, we are able to investigate key pathophysiological mechanisms of the migraine attack in all of its phases.

On of the more recent migraine triggers is the phosphodiesterase-3-inhibitor cilostazol. Despite their known migraine inducing properties, the reproducibility of these experimental triggers including cilostazol has never been investigated.

In study I, we confirmed that cilostazol is indeed a highly effective migraine trigger, with 86% response at the first induction in patients naïve to cilostazol. Furthermore, we found that the migraine response of cilostazol exhibits excellent reproducibility, as all the first-time cilostazol responders also developed migraine after their second induction. We used cilostazol as experimental trigger in studies II and III.

While much effort has been invested in the continued study of migraine mechanisms, there are considerable gaps in our understanding of where, how, and why a migraine attack is initiated. In studies II and III, we specifically investigated the origin of migraine pain….

Supervisor: Professor Messoud Ashina.

Supervisor: Dr. Faisal Mohammad Amin.