Animal models of migraine and experimental techniques used to examine trigeminal sensory processing

Andrea M. Harriott, Lauren C. Strother, Marta Vila-Pueyo, Philip R. Holland*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

80 Citations (Scopus)
211 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Migraine is a common debilitating condition whose main attributes are severe recurrent headaches with accompanying sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. Migraine-related pain is a major cause of its accompanying disability and can encumber almost every aspect of daily life. Main body: Advancements in our understanding of the neurobiology of migraine headache have come in large from basic science research utilizing small animal models of migraine-related pain. In this current review, we aim to describe several commonly utilized preclinical models of migraine. We will discuss the diverse array of methodologies for triggering and measuring migraine-related pain phenotypes and highlight briefly specific advantages and limitations therein. Finally, we will address potential future challenges/opportunities to refine existing and develop novel preclinical models of migraine that move beyond migraine-related pain and expand into alternate migraine-related phenotypes. Conclusion: Several well validated animal models of pain relevant for headache exist, the researcher should consider the advantages and limitations of each model before selecting the most appropriate to answer the specific research question. Further, we should continually strive to refine existing and generate new animal and non-animal models that have the ability to advance our understanding of head pain as well as non-pain symptoms of primary headache disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Article number91
JournalJournal of Headache and Pain
Volume20
Issue number1
Early online date29 Aug 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Keywords

  • Animal models
  • Electrophysiology
  • Headache
  • Migraine
  • Pain
  • Preclinical
  • Translation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Animal models of migraine and experimental techniques used to examine trigeminal sensory processing'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this