Cortical astrocyte activation triggers meningeal nociception and migraine-like pain.

ABSTRACT: Migraine attacks are believed to originate in the brain, but the exact mechanisms by which the brain generates peripheral nociceptive signals that drive migraine pain remain unclear. Sensory cortex hyperexcitability has been observed consistently across different migraine subtypes. Astrocytes detect aberrant increases in cortical activity via their Gq-coupled receptors and respond by releasing gliotransmitters and other factors with proinflammatory and nociceptive properties. In the present study, we used a rat model to investigate whether heightened cortical astrocyte Gq-coupled signaling is sufficient to drive peripheral trigeminal meningeal nociceptive responses linked to the generation of migraine headaches. We used an AAV-based chemogenetic approach that allows selective activation of

SUBMITTER: Bree D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11839082 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature