Migraines? Maybe You’re Clinically Endocannabinoid Deficient

Migraines? Maybe You’re Clinically Endocannabinoid Deficient

Can this concept explain therapeutic benefits of cannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other treatment-resistant conditions?

 

This study examines the concept of clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD), and the prospect that it could underlie the pathophysiology of migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis.

 

METHODS:

Available literature was reviewed, and literature searches pursued via the National Library of Medicine database and other resources.

RESULTS:

Migraine has numerous relationships to endocannabinoid function. Anandamide (AEA) potentiates 5-HT1A and inhibits 5-HT2A receptors supporting therapeutic efficacy in acute and preventive migraine treatment. Cannabinoids also demonstrate dopamine-blocking and anti-inflammatory effects. AEA is tonically active in the periaqueductal gray matter, a migraine generator. THC modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission via NMDA receptors. Fibromyalgia is now conceived as a central sensitization state with secondary hyperalgesia. Cannabinoids have similarly demonstrated the ability to block spinal, peripheral and gastrointestinal mechanisms that promote pain in headache, fibromyalgia, IBS and related disorders. The past and potential clinical utility of cannabis-based medicines in their treatment is discussed, as are further suggestions for experimental investigation of CECD via CSF examination and neuro-imaging.

CONCLUSION:

Migraine, fibromyalgia, IBS and related conditions display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines.

Republished from

Share This Post
  • Cannabis May Protect the Brain Against Alcohol Damage

    2010-11-18
    Compounds in cannabis may protect the human brain against alcohol-induced damage, according to clinical trial data published online by the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology. Investigators at the University of California at San…
  • Dr Robert Melamede PhD on the Endocannabinoid System

    2010-06-26
    Hi, I'm Dr Robert Melamede PhD. I'm a professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. I was the former chairman of the biology department there. And currently in…
  • Medical Marijuana For Pain? More Patients Are Saying Yes

    Five Concrete Benefits Of Cannabis As A Medicine

    2015-03-03
    Concrete Reasons Why Marijuana is Medicine Five concrete benefits of cannabis as A medicine. The concept of medical cannabis is not new. The ancient physicians prescribed it for pain relief,…