Abstract:Migraine is a common neurological disorder with complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Clinical research appears to indicate a critical involvement of dopamine in the pathophysiology of migraine. This review will expound the correlation of dopamine with migraine by looking at many different aspects, such as dopamine’s synthesis and metabolism, the relationship between dopamine and pathogenesis of migraine and its genetic susceptibility, the relationship between dopamine and the trigeminovascular pathway as well as its implications for pharmacotherapy. Dopamine receptors are found to be present in the trigeminocervical complex. Patients with migraine often present with abnormalities in dopamine levels, dopamine receptor sensitivity, and dopamine-related gene expression. Dopamine receptor antagonists play an important role in both the treatment for the acute phase of migraine and the prophylactic therapy. Dopaminergic neurons may be a useful target for therapies of migraine.
