Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Genes Found are Related to Migraines

    Previously believed to be caused purely by stress, emotions, and depression, migraines are now believed to have over 40 genes that can trigger the onset of a debilitating migraine, sometimes also being accompanied by nausea, blind spots, flu-like symptoms, disorientation, and trouble thinking.  Specifically, calcitonin, which is a gene-related peptide abundantly found in people who tend to receive migraines more often than others, is being studied and tested to find a cure.  This peptide produces the swelling of blood vessels within the brain, ultimately resulting in a migraine to form. In fact, about 50% of the people who develop severe migraines is due to their genetic predisposition.
    While there are genes that enable migraines to form, they can also be triggered by by external factors, possibly smells, alcohol, specific foods, lights, and especially noises, that takes a normal headache to the next level.  When this occurs, it could last anywhere from 4 hours to four days.  It is when these outside factors become so extremely amplified within the brain and activates the neural networks, causing a very painful migraine. 
    As technology improves and scientists are able to better distinguish which specific genes are directly linked to the development of severe migraines, new forms of medication could possibly be made.  I think it will be able to provide an entirely new lifestyle change to people afflicted and look forward to cures being fabricated, especially as someone who oftentimes get migraines.

8 comments:

  1. It is interesting to see that migraines are possibly linked to up to 40 genes, I always thought it was only due to external factors. I had really bad migraines accompanied by nausea growing up and still do sometimes so seeing research like this is being done is pretty cool. I am interested to see how these finding progress toward a cure in the future.

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  2. This is an amazing study because now I can tell my mom that it is her genes that are giving her that migraine and not me.

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  3. This is good information to know, I hope they can create a medicine to help stop this. I get bad migraines that cause blindspots and a lot of pain and the right medicine would help a lot.

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  4. Migraines affect so many people everyday. I also suffer from migraines that make me nauseous, disoriented, and have a difficult time thinking. Sometimes I can't even drive because I can barely sit up. It's interesting to know that there is more to these horrible migraines to the point where there might be a solution out there to this problem.

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  5. this is interesting because, if this gene was isolated then it could be potentially neutralized and prevent future migraines

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  6. I never thought that an individual's likelihood to have migraines would be related to a specific gene. I am curious to see if there is also a specific gene related to stress suseptibility. If so, I would love to silence it during finals week! Great Article!

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  7. This interests me as I suffer from migraines as well, but I always thought they were due to stress or mental health, not genetics. It is so interesting to see how many things genetics really affect, because genes can be so overlooked in many things.

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  8. I would have never thought that migraines would have something to do with an individuals genetic makeup; I always figured it had something to do with external factors. Nice to bring light to something I did not have much knowledge on.

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