By Deborah Condon

Researchers have for the first time managed to provide a detailed picture of an untreated migraine attack. It is hoped that this will contribute to the development of new forms of treatment.

Migraine currently affects 400,000 people in Ireland. It is characterised by a severe one-sided headache that can last up to three days. It can be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and/or noise.

A team of Swedish researchers set out to provide a detailed picture of an untreated attack. In Sweden, one in every eight adults is affected. However the number of those who attend a doctor for the condition is lower than in the rest of the western world. Furthermore many feel that the information provided by doctors is poor.

"Many people had gone to their doctor previously, but stopped. This is remarkable considering the fact that most people want to try another migraine treatment than their current one", explained researcher, Dr Mattias Linde.

Dr Linde used a new method to capture a detailed picture of migraine attacks. A number of patients, who could stand to refrain form any treatment for 72 hours, were asked to assess the intensity of the various symptoms they experienced. They marked these symptoms on a 100 degree scale.

In doing this, Dr Linde was able to produce a highly exact picture of how a migraine attack develops hour by hour.

"This is a breakthrough that provides researchers with a new and unique picture of the great complexity and wealth of variation that characterises this enigmatic condition. The pain tends to follow a slowly undulating rhythm between medium and insufferable intensity", he explained.

The study showed that acute drugs often provide good but short-lived relief, with the headache returning to its original pattern after a couple of hours.

It appears that the various symptoms are driven by a common factor in the brain and that modern treatments for attacks fail to block off this unknown area.

The study also indicated that treatment is just as effective if it is administered late, during high levels of pain. Until now, many migraine researchers have insisted that in order to be effective, treatment must be given in the early stage of an attack before the pain worsens.

"It is reassuring now to be able to encourage patients to take their treatment, even if they don't do so at an early stage", Dr Linde said.

This research was carried out as part of a dissertation by Dr Linde at the Sahgrenska Academy in Goteborg University.