• Esther E Kors, Kaate R J Vanmolkot, Joost Haan, Rune R Frants, Arn M J M van den Maagdenberg, and Michel D Ferrari.
• Department of Neurology and Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
• Curr. Opin. Neurol. 2004 Jun 1;17(3):283-8.

Purpose Of ReviewThe progress in headache genetics, especially migraine genetics, recently jumped ahead with some major discoveries.Recent FindingsFamily and epidemiological studies further strengthen the genetic contribution to migraine and two recent observations gave new molecular insights in the disease. Studies on the genetics of familial hemiplegic migraine revealed, in addition to the previously identified familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 gene CACNA1A on chromosome 19, the familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 gene ATP1A2, encoding the alpha2-subunit of sodium/potassium pumps. Recent genome screens in families with migraine identified susceptibility loci on chromosomes 4, 6, 11 and 14.SummaryThe findings in familial hemiplegic migraine confirm that dysfunction in ion transport is a key factor in migraine pathophysiology and might help us in the elucidation of migraine molecular pathways. The identification of several migraine susceptibility loci underline its genetically complex nature.

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