Detection of salivary biomarker for migraine diagnosis

Migraine, a prevalent neurological disorder, is the third most common disease globally, causing significant health and financial burdens. It has four stages: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. The prodrome (also known as premonitory) stage is crucial as it precedes the headache by up to 72 hours. Taking medication during the premonitory peroid has shown to prevent the headache phase . However, the symptoms of premonitory period lack specificity, making it difficult for patients to know if they’re experiencing premonitory symptoms. Calcitonin-gene related peptide (cGRP),is a protein that plays a key role in migraine pathogenesis and studies found that salivary cGRP levels increase during the premonitory stage. This study aims to develop and evaluate a lateral flow immunoassay kit for detecting salivary cGRP levels in migraine patients during the prodrome stage. It can serve as a confirmation tool for premonitory symptoms.

This study has the potential to greatly improve the management and prevention of migraine. The early detection and management could potentially reduce the frequency and severity of migraines, thereby improving the quality of life for patients and reducing their overall burden. Moreover, the confirmatory test for premonitory symptoms provided by this study could help reduce medication overuse, resulting in cost savings for patients, minimizing potential side effects, and potentially lowers the incidence of medication-overuse headaches. Additionally, by providing patients with a predictive tool, the study promotes patient-centered care and encourages patients to take an active role in managing their migraines. The study may also increase awareness and education surrounding premonitory symptoms. Furthermore, if successful, this study could open up for more new, non-invasive, reliable, and accessible approaches to migraine management and prevention.