One Headache Removed

Migraines are debilitating headaches experienced by 1 in 7 people globally. Originally, they were thought to be a psychosomatic condition, brought on by 'stress'. The Lundbeck Foundation's Brain prize (I have no connections to this) has been given this year to four scientists who have, between them, found the mechanism producing migraines and developed effective treatments for the condition ( https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/04/scientists-discovered-migraine-mechanism-win-brain-prize). The first part of the story was the finding that migraines involved an interaction between the trigeminal (facial) nerve and the membranes (meninges) that cover the brain. The release of a peptide by the nerve, caused blood vessels in the meninges to dilate (become wider). This resulted in inflammation of the meninges and produced the pain sensation. The released factor turned out to be Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP). Giving this substance to a migraine patient, triggered an attack. Subsequently, CGRP-antagonists (drugs that block CGRP) were developed. These peptides (e.g. Erenumab, Rimegepant and Ubrogepant) are still under development but appear effective in treating and preventing migraines. Very good news for migraine sufferers.