Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
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The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of headache and primary headache disorders like migraine and tension-type headaches among adolescents, and to explore the differences in headache prevalence and frequency by gender and age. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway, during the years 1995-97. In total, 8984 (88%) out of 10 202 invited adolescents aged 12-19 years participated in the youth part of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study [Helseundersøkelsen i Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT)]. ⋯ Higher prevalence rates were found for girls in all age groups and for all headache categories. The overall frequency of recurrent headaches did not vary significantly with age, but girls had significantly more frequent headaches than boys. We concluded that headache in general, and recurrent primary headache disorders like migraine and tension-type headaches, are common somatic complaints among Norwegian adolescents, especially among girls.
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Comparative Study
Effects of chronic sumatriptan and zolmitriptan treatment on 5-HT receptor expression and function in rats.
Triptans are commonly used anti-migraine drugs and show agonist action mainly at serotonin 5-HT(1B/1D/1F) receptors. It is not known whether frequent or long-term treatment with these drugs would alter 5-HT receptor function. We investigated the effects of protracted (14-18 days) sumatriptan and zolmitriptan treatment in rats on 5-HT(1) receptor mRNA expression and function in tissues related to migraine pathophysiology. ⋯ Chronic triptan treatment had no effect in two functional assays [sumatriptan mediated inhibition (50 mg/kg, i.p.) of electrically induced plasma protein extravasation in dura mater and 5-nonyloxytryptamine-stimulated [(35)S]guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate binding in substantia nigra]. Furthermore, vasoconstriction to 5-HT in isolated basilar artery was not affected by chronic triptan treatment, while it was slightly reduced in coronary artery. We conclude that, although our treatment protocol altered mRNA receptor expression in several tissues relevant to migraine pathophysiology, it did not attenuate 5-HT(1) receptor-dependent functions in rats.