Director of the Genomics Research Centre Professor Lyn Griffiths and her team of researchers at Griffith University have identified a genetic link between hormones and migraine.
Professor Griffiths said it was the first time a hormone receptor gene had been associated with migraine.
“We always knew that hormones were involved, now we know that there is a genetic basis,” Professor Griffiths said.
“It seems so obvious now, but it’s a whole new area of discovery. This is the initial finding, now we need to look at the mutations to see how a change in the DNA sequence affects the gene. There is more than one gene involved in migraine and different variations affect people differently.”
Professor Griffiths said women were three times more likely than men to suffer from migraine and they often experienced their first migraine at puberty.
“Pregnancy and menopause can also play havoc with migraine, which shows further evidence that hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone are implicated,” she said.
“There is also what we call a ‘menstrual migraine’ whereby migraine becomes linked to the menstrual cycle.”
While an effective treatment for the condition has not yet been identified, an awareness of the genetic link in hormones could help migraine management, particularly during hormonal changes.
She said Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Pill in some cases could worsen migraine, while in other cases lessen it.
“If women find their migraine worsens after going on the Pill, they may want to rethink their birth control options,” Professor Griffiths said.