Migraine headaches, which are unpredictable and even cause extreme discomfort, are difficult to manage.
In this regard, Medicalnewstoday reports that certain blood proteins may cause migraines, while others may increase the risk of headaches. The researchers say these findings could lead to the development of new treatments for people with migraines.
Researchers have identified several proteins that can trigger migraines. This confirmed that high levels of DKK1 and PDGFB could cause this condition, whereas low levels of the other three proteins could also cause migraines.
“Using the power of large-scale genetic studies of migraine risk and blood protein levels, we can discover an association between migraine risk and 58 proteins,” said study author Dale Nyholt, professor of biomedical science at Queensland University of Technology, Australia. “We found that five of these proteins had a causal effect on migraine. This shows that the protein could be a target for migraine treatment.”
However, this study had some limitations. This includes the fact that the team collected data primarily from European populations, and that the nature of blood proteins may not accurately reflect tissue-specific migraine-related proteins. In addition, the research team noted that there are limitations in the research method, and further research is needed to understand them more thoroughly.