A diabetes treatment that lowers mind fluid stress has lower month-to-month migraine days by greater than half, in accordance with a brand new examine introduced in the present day on the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025.
Researchers on the Headache Heart of the College of Naples “Federico II” gave the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist liraglutide to 26 adults with weight problems and continual migraine (outlined as ≥15 headache days per 30 days).
Sufferers reported a mean of 11 fewer headache days per 30 days, whereas incapacity scores on the Migraine Incapacity Evaluation Check dropped by 35 factors, indicating a clinically significant enchancment in work, examine, and social functioning.
GLP-1 agonists have gained latest widespread consideration, reshaping remedy approaches for a number of illnesses, together with diabetes and heart problems. Within the remedy of sort 2 diabetes, liraglutide helps decrease blood sugar ranges and cut back physique weight by suppressing urge for food and decreasing vitality consumption.
Importantly, whereas contributors’ body-mass index declined barely (from 34.01 to 33.65), this alteration was not statistically important. An evaluation of covariance confirmed that BMI discount had no impact on headache frequency, strengthening the speculation that stress modulation, not weight reduction, drives the profit.
“Most sufferers felt higher throughout the first two weeks and reported high quality of life improved considerably,” mentioned lead researcher Dr. Simone Braca. “The profit lasted for the complete three-month commentary interval, though weight reduction was modest and statistically non-significant.”
Sufferers have been screened to exclude papilledema (optic disk swelling ensuing from elevated intracranial stress) and sixth nerve palsy, ruling out idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) as a confounding issue.
Rising proof carefully hyperlinks refined will increase in intracranial stress to migraine assaults. GLP-1-receptor agonists comparable to liraglutide cut back cerebrospinal fluid secretion and have already proved efficient in treating IIH. Due to this fact, constructing on these observations, Dr. Braca and colleagues hypothesized that exploiting the identical mechanism of motion may finally dampen cortical and trigeminal sensitization that underlies migraine.
“We predict that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid stress and decreasing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these medication produce a lower within the launch of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide,” Dr. Braca defined. “That will pose intracranial stress management as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.”
Gentle gastrointestinal uncomfortable side effects (primarily nausea and constipation) occurred in 38% of contributors however didn’t result in remedy discontinuation.
Following this exploratory 12-week pilot examine, a randomized, double-blind trial with direct or oblique intracranial stress measurement is now being deliberate by the identical analysis staff in Naples, led by professor Roberto De Simone.
“We additionally need to decide whether or not different GLP-1 medication can ship the identical reduction, presumably with even fewer gastrointestinal uncomfortable side effects,” Dr. Braca famous.
If confirmed, GLP-1-receptor agonists may provide a brand new remedy possibility for the estimated one in seven folks worldwide who stay with migraine, significantly those that don’t reply to present preventives. Given liraglutide’s established use in sort 2 diabetes and weight problems, it could symbolize a promising case of drug repurposing in neurology.
Extra info:
Braca S., Russo C. et al. GLP-1R Agonists for the Remedy of Migraine: A Pilot Potential Observational Examine. Summary A-25-13975.
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European Academy of Neurology
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From blood sugar to mind reduction: GLP-1 remedy linked to decrease migraine frequency (2025, June 20)
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