Background

Migraine and trigemino-autonomic cephalalgia attacks are associated with an increase of α-calcitonin-gene related peptide levels in the ipsilateral jugular vein. It is however unknown whether trigeminal pain stimulation in healthy subjects without headache disorders also induces increase of calcitonin-gene related peptide levels.

Findings

We measured α-calcitonin-gene related peptide levels in eight healthy subjects after subcutaneous injection of capsaicin in the forehead and in the mandibular region and after injection of sodium chloride in the forehead. We observed a significant increase of α-calcitonin-gene related peptide level only after injection of capsaicin in the forehead (i.e. first trigeminal branch). We also observed trigemino-autonomic activation (lacrimation, rhinorrhea etc.) only after injection of capsaicin in the forehead.

Conclusion

Increase of α-calcitonin-gene related peptide levels do not only occur in primary headache attacks but also after experimental trigeminal pain of the first branch. This finding suggests that α-calcitonin-gene related peptide elevation is, at least an additional, unspecific effect of first trigeminal branch stimulation following pain activation and not a specific mechanism of idiopathic headache disorders.

中文翻译：

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在实验性人类三叉神经疼痛模型中释放 CGRP

背景

偏头痛和三叉神经自主神经性头痛发作与同侧颈静脉中 α-降钙素基因相关肽水平的增加有关。然而，尚不清楚在没有头痛疾病的健康受试者中的三叉神经疼痛刺激是否也诱导降钙素基因相关肽水平的增加。

发现

我们测量了八名健康受试者在前额和下颌区域皮下注射辣椒素以及在前额注射氯化钠后的α-降钙素基因相关肽水平。我们观察到仅在前额（即第一三叉神经分支）注射辣椒素后α-降钙素基因相关肽水平显着增加。我们还观察到仅在前额注射辣椒素后三叉神经激活（流泪、流鼻涕等）。

结论

α-降钙素基因相关肽水平的增加不仅发生在原发性头痛发作中，也发生在第一分支的实验性三叉神经痛之后。这一发现表明，α-降钙素基因相关肽升高至少是疼痛激活后第一三叉神经分支刺激的额外非特异性作用，而不是特发性头痛疾病的特定机制。