Oxytocin receptor antagonism in migraine: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled provocation study.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Oxytocin has been implicated in migraine pathophysiology through its roles in pain modulation and vascular regulation. Its receptors are present in migraine-related brain regions and cerebral vessels and interact with key migraine mediators such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Declining oxytocin levels coincide with increased migraine frequency, but a causal role in humans remains unclear. This study examined whether acute oxytocin receptor blockade provokes migraine attacks or alters cerebrovascular function.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, women with episodic migraine (WM), healthy women (HC), and men with episodic migraine (MM) aged 18-45 years received the oxytocin receptor antagonist at

SUBMITTER: Fitzek MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12927216 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature