The role of food in the pathogenesis of migraine headache.

Abstract

Recent textbooks of neurology and internal medicine cite food, or pharmacologic agents in foods, as provokers of migraine (1,2). Nevertheless, this area remains controversial. Many authorities recognize foods containing pharmacologic agents, such as tyramine, as possible provokers of migraine. However, the importance of foods lacking these properties is less clear. During the 1980s, there was renewed interest in food-induced migraine. Studies have attempted to address the incidence of food-induced migraine and have recently begun to study potential mechanisms. This paper will review the general features of migraine, including prevalence, differential diagnosis, and known provokers, and then focus on the link between food and migraine.