--- title: Do women with menstrual migraine have different nerve activity patterns than others? description: Women with menstrual migraine show different patterns of nerve activity across the menstrual cycle compared to women without migraine. Hormone treatment may r url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/serum-dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-activity-in-menstrual-migraine-1985/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with menstrual migraine have different nerve activity patterns than others? Case-control study, 1985 # Do women with menstrual migraine have different nerve activity patterns than others? Women with menstrual migraine show different patterns of nerve activity across the menstrual cycle compared to women without migraine. Hormone treatment may reduce these patterns. Early or limited evidence 7 women with regular menstrual migraine and 11 healthy women ## What they did Measured an enzyme level that reflects nerve system activity in 7 women with regular menstrual migraine and 11 healthy women. Measurements were taken during the mid-cycle phase and the premenstrual phase. Some women with migraine were also treated with estradiol implants. ## What they found In women with migraine, enzyme levels were clearly lower in the premenstrual phase compared to the mid-cycle phase, whereas control women showed little difference between the two phases. When comparing migraine and control women, enzyme levels were on average 26% and 10% higher in the migraine group, though this difference was not clear due to the large range of normal enzyme levels. Women with migraine treated with estradiol implants had reduced enzyme levels and a smaller difference between cycle phases. ## What it means for you Excessive changes in nerve activity across the menstrual cycle may play a role in menstrual migraine, and estradiol may help by reducing these changes. This is a very small study from 1985, which limits confidence in the findings. 7 women with menstrual migraine 11 healthy control women 26% and 10% higher enzyme levels in migraine group ## About the study Original title Serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in menstrual migraine Authors Magos A, Brincat M, Zilkha KJ et al. Journal Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry Year 1985 Study design Case-control study What was tested Estradiol implants for menstrual migraine Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.48.4.328](https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.48.4.328) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2023 What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy? Survey study, 2015 Does migraine increase during menopause, and can hormone therapy help? Review, 2007 What causes menstrual migraine and how is it treated? Randomised trial, 2006 Is PMS severity linked to how bad your migraines are? Survey study, 2001 Can hormonal changes cause headaches? Survey study, 1999 What causes menstrual migraine and how is it treated? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗