Potassium channel defects or migraines

study in mice showed that defects in potassium ion channels involved in pain testing increased the risk of headaches and may be associated with migraines. The paper was published July 15 in eNeuro.
a potassium ion channel called TRESK is thought to control the excitability of peripheral sensory neurons that feel pain, heat, cold, and touch. Although these channels are present in neurons that feel pain in the body and face, the mutation appears to be associated only with headaches and not with physical pain.
researchers from Hunan Xiangya Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis analyzed mouse models of TRESK channel defects and measured the resulting neural activity. The researchers found that mice were more likely to get excited only with facial pain receptors, and that sensory neurons felt more spontaneous activity.
behavioral tests, the researchers observed that the knock-out mouse model was more sensitive to temperature and touch stimuli, and that their faces showed more headache-related behavior without physical pain. These results suggest that treSK channels have a cell-specific effect and are responsible for regulating pain in facial sensory neurons, making it a target for migraine therapy research. (Source: Tang Feng, China Science Journal)
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