Platelet as a model to test autonomic function in migraine.

In order to evaluate the role of the sympathetic autonomic nervous system (SANS) in common migraine we measured platelet catecholamine levels in a group of patients and in control subjects after 1 and 30 min of supine rest. Common migraine patients showed, at 1 min of supine rest, higher platelet norepinephrine (NE) content in comparison with the controls. This result may reflect a decreased release of platelet dense bodies in migraineurs. The same patients showed after 30' of supine rest a hardly significant increase of platelet NE levels in contrast to the clearly significant increase found in controls. These findings support the hypothesis of sympathetic hypofunction in migraine.