Scientists have identified a genetic defect linked to migraine which could provide a target for new treatments.
A flawed gene found in a family of migraine sufferers could help trigger the severe headaches, a study in Nature Medicine suggests.
Dr Zameel Cader of the University of Oxford said the discovery was a step forward in understanding why one in five people suffers from migraines.
The World Health Organization rates it as a leading cause of disability.
A migraine is a severe, long-lasting headache usually felt as a throbbing pain at the front or on one side of the head.
Some can have a warning visual disturbance, called an aura, before the start of the headache, and many people also have symptoms such as nausea and sensitivity to light during the headache itself.
Until now, the genes directly responsible for migraine have been unknown.
In this study, scientists including some from the Medical Research Council's Functional Genomics Unit at the University of Oxford found a gene known as TRESK was directly attributable as a cause of migraine in some patients.
The study found that if the gene does not work properly, environmental factors can more easily trigger pain centres in the brain and cause a severe headache.
The international team used DNA samples from families with common migraine to identify the defective gene.
BBC News
