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Genetic Analysis of GRIA2 and GRIA4 Genes in Migraine
Author(s) -
Gasparini Claudia F.,
Sutherland Heidi G.,
Haupt Larisa M.,
Griffiths Lyn R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/head.12234
Subject(s) - migraine , phonophobia , glutamatergic , population , ampa receptor , medicine , dopamine , neuroscience , genetics , glutamate receptor , biology , receptor , environmental health , aura
Background Migraine is a brain disorder affecting ∼12% of the Caucasian population. Genes involved in neurological, vascular, and hormonal pathways have all been implicated in predisposing individuals to developing migraine. The migraineur presents with disabling head pain and varying symptoms of nausea, emesis, photophobia, phonophobia, and occasionally visual sensory disturbances. Biochemical and genetic studies have demonstrated dysfunction of neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate in migraine susceptibility. Glutamate mediates the transmission of excitatory signals in the mammalian central nervous system that affect normal brain function including cognition, memory and learning. The aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms in the GRIA2 and GRIA4 genes, which encode subunits of the ionotropic AMPA receptor for association in an A ustralian C aucasian population. Methods Genotypes for each polymorphism were determined using high resolution melt analysis and the RFLP method. Results Statistical analysis showed no association between migraine and the GRIA2 and GRIA4 polymorphisms investigated. Conclusions Although the results of this study showed no significant association between the tested GRIA gene variants and migraine in our A ustralian C aucasian population further investigation of other components of the glutamatergic system may help to elucidate if there is a relationship between glutamatergic dysfunction and migraine.