Journal of the neurological sciences
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Quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been used clinically for the last two decades, yielding a substantial number of publications regarding these applications. In this review we tried to amass together the major findings of these publications into one monograph, excluding those dealing with pain. This was done with the aim of assisting clinicians in the better use of QST techniques for the benefit of their patients.
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Plasma amino acids were analysed in patients with migraine with (9) and without (80) aura, in patients with tension headache (14) and in controls (62). The neuroexcitatory amino acids glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, cysteic acid and homocysteic acid were elevated in migraine patients while total thiols (cysteine/cystine) were reduced. Patients with tension headache had values which were similar to those of controls. ⋯ Studies on two patients showed that the raised resting excitatory amino acid levels became still further elevated during a migraine attack. These results show that high concentrations of neurotransmitter amino acids occur normally in migraine patients and suggest that this profile may be a contributory factor in migraine attacks. Tension headache, however, has different biochemical parameters.