The world’s largest migraine study, with more than 100,000 patients from across 12 research centres, has found over 100 risk factors for migraine.
The study, in which QUT researchers are playing an important role, aims to identify which genes play a role in the debilitating illness. Professor Dale Nyholt, from QUT’s Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, said a large proportion of the population suffered from migraines – with one in five Australians suffering from it.
“If you consider that a medium migraine attack is lasting a full day that’s a bit of a disability across a lifetime,” Professor Nyholt said.
His work has been highlighted in a series of research videos by the Australian Academy of Science.
Migraine is one of the leading causes of disability in the world with symptoms including excruciating head pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, blurred vision and auras.
Attacks can last four several hours and days, causing lifestyle problems and a huge cost to society.
QUT’s Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation executive director Professor Lyn Griffiths said the study would enable researchers to know which genes play a role in disorders.
“Once you know this, you can get clues about the sorts of treatments you can develop for those people and so looking at the information who we have been able to get from genes, we’ve been able to identify different ways we might like to develop new treatments,” Professor Griffiths said.
Professor Griffiths says migraine can be inherited and that there are many different types of migraine triggers including bright lights, strong smells such as perfume, barometric pressure, certain types of foods including caffeine, chocolate and red wine.
Professor Griffiths also has a migraine trial ongoing at QUT, which uses medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Migraines are difficult for experts to monitor because attacks happen in episodes. There’s also no cure and treatment options are limited meaning international collaborations are crucial to learning more.
Professor Nyholt said he had spent more than 20 years studying migraine headaches and hopes to study it for the rest of his life.
“There are many more things to learn about it and if I can help those sufferers to live a life without these migraine headaches I think that would be a life well worth lived.”
The migraine research has been featured in a new series of videos by the Australian Academy of Science.
Media contact:
Rod Chester, QUT Media, 07 3138 9449, rod.chester@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
