Word: drugging
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...biennial symposium of the Migraine Trust (whose patron, the late Princess Margaret, suffered from migraines). A ripple of excitement followed reports of progress in blocking a key neuropeptide called cgrp (more on that later). But the biggest headlines came from a seemingly unlikely source, the anti-epilepsy drug topiramate. Dr. Stephen Silberstein of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia presented a study of nearly 500 patients showing that topiramate significantly reduced both the occurrence and duration of migraines--offering hope that a whole class of existing antiseizure drugs could someday help migraine sufferers put an end to attacks before they occur...
...overly sensitive nerve cells are the problem, it makes sense to try to calm them down--and that's exactly what the first drug tailored to block an oncoming migraine was designed to do. Approved in the U.S. in 1993, sumatriptan mimics the action of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which plays many roles in the brain, including regulation of mood and pain. In the case of migraines, the drug prevents nerve endings in the dura from releasing their stimulatory proteins. No proteins, no pain...
Sumatriptan's success launched a new class of drugs called triptans that provide most migraineurs substantial relief. Like the painkillers before them, the triptans deliver their best results when taken early in an attack. Unfortunately, their effect is often temporary (drug companies are working on longer-lasting versions). Also, the drugs can trigger certain cardiovascular side effects, which means they should not be used by patients who have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke...
...that triptans, besides affecting serotonin pathways, also directly block one of the stimulatory proteins released by the nerve endings in the dura. New compounds that target this protein, dubbed cgrp, are being tested in Europe. One big problem, says Lars Edvinsson of Lund University in Sweden, "is that the drug can be given only intravenously. We need a cgrp blocker that works as a tablet...
...truth is that during Red Sox season, all local stories not concerning our national pastime are considered trivial to the consummate New Englander. While the arrest of dirty cop Jose Ortiz is of direct interest to a handful of local drug dealers, the fate of the hometown team each night is obsessed over by the millions that comprise Red Sox nation...