Taurine and migraine neurotransmission studyCerebrospinal fluid analyses in migraine patients and controls.
We measured the levels of specific amino acids, including taurine, glycine, and glutamine, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 38 migraine patients. To understand more about its potential role in migraines, we compared these levels with those from 10 individuals who do not suffer from headaches.
Our findings revealed that migraine patients had significantly higher levels of taurine, glycine, and glutamine compared to the healthy controls. Particularly, the differences were striking for taurine and glycine, with p-values indicating strong statistical significance.
Interestingly, we noticed that when seven of these patients received treatment with divalproex sodium, their taurine levels dropped notably compared to baseline. However, while we can see strong correlations, we should exercise caution—this study does not definitively isolate the effects of taurine itself in migraine treatment since other factors were at play during the divalproex sodium treatment.
Overall, these results suggest that issues related to neurotransmission may have a role in migraines, and taurine could be a piece of the puzzle. Yet, we must acknowledge that our research does not establish taurine as an effective standalone treatment for migraines.