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Migraine

Hopes raised for effective migraine prophylaxis

Nature Reviews Neurology volume 12, page 2 (2016)Cite this article

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A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial suggests that memantine — a drug used to slow down Alzheimer disease — is an effective prophylactic treatment for migraine. The trial included 60 patients with migraine without aura, who were randomly allocated to receive memantine or a placebo. Memantine reduced the frequency of attacks per month, and reduced the number of days patients were absent from work, the severity of headache and disability scores. Adverse effects were minimal; three patients who received memantine experienced sedation, mild vertigo and nausea, and drowsiness.

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References

  1. Noruzzadeh, R. et al. Memantine for prophylactic treatment of migraine without aura: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Headache http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/head.12732

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Authors
  1. Ian Fyfe
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Fyfe, I. Hopes raised for effective migraine prophylaxis. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 2 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.247

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