{"id":227413,"date":"2026-08-06T15:53:46","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T13:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microbiome-center.nl\/?p=227413"},"modified":"2026-08-06T15:53:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T13:53:53","slug":"29-the-microbiome-migraine-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microbiome-center.nl\/en\/29-the-microbiome-migraine-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"29: The microbiome-migraine connection"},"content":{"rendered":"<style id=\"divi-off-canvas-hide-on-load\">\n[data-interaction-target=\"zwocqpy6qf\"] { display: none !important; }\n<\/style>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The gut microbiome plays role in migraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Migraine is a debilitating, highly prevalent condition that affects approximately 15% of the population. It is well-known that many migraineurs experience nausea or vomiting, but other GI complaints occur often too. For example, migraineurs have IBS 2-4 times more often than healthy peers (1,2). This is a strong indication that gut health is linked to migraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent years, several mechanisms have been identified that can play a role in the microbiome-migraine connection. For example, impaired anatomical barriers such as the gut-blood and blood-brain barrier are observed in migraineurs and can lead to systemic and neuroinflammatory responses (3,4). Insulin signaling is also impaired in migraine patients and it is known that the microbiome can directly modulate this (4,5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, it is well-known that disturbed serotonin signaling plays an important role in the pathogenesis of migraine (6). Importantly, metabolism of its precursor tryptophan via the serotonin, indole, or kynurenine pathways is influenced by the gut microbiome (7). It is known, for example, that metabolites from the kynurenine pathway affect the NMDA receptor, which plays a role in the cortical spreading depression phase of migraine. Interestingly, various tryptophan metabolites are disturbed in IBS patients too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another potential mechanism that has been identified is pathogen overgrowth. For example,&nbsp;<em>Heliobacter pylori<\/em>&nbsp;infection is associated with migraine (7). Moreover, overgrowth of other pathogenic bacteria and yeasts has been found in migraineurs as well (8). Since many pathogenic bacterial species are known to be able to synthesize histamine, it is interesting that histamine oversensitivity is implicated in migraine too (9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, the identification of these mechanisms suggests that if a migraine patient also has GI complaints, a function-focused fecal analysis can help to identify which pathways may be involved in that individual. Based on this and on other complaints and medical problems, a targeted intervention can be compiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/brb3.2291\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/brb3.2291<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2022\/8690562\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2022\/8690562<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1535370217743766\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1535370217743766<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/ped.14946\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/ped.14946<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.molcel.2020.03.005\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.molcel.2020.03.005<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1152\/physrev.00034.2015\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1152\/physrev.00034.2015<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijms221810134\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijms221810134<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2147\/NDT.S144955\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2147\/NDT.S144955<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s10194-019-0984-1\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s10194-019-0984-1<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_pb_section--fixed et_section_regular et_flex_section et-interaction-target-zwocqpy6qf preset--module--divi-section--default\" data-interaction-trigger=\"7hv7hq8l9z\" data-interaction-target=\"zwocqpy6qf\" id=\"video_canvas\"><div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_flex_row\"><div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_24_24 et_flex_column_24_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\"><div class=\"et_pb_icon_0 et_pb_icon et_pb_module et_flex_module video_close\"><span class=\"et_pb_icon_wrap\"><span class=\"et-pb-icon\">\uf057<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_code_0 et_pb_code et_pb_module\" id=\"microbiome_center_video_iframe\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The gut microbiome plays role in migraine Migraine is a debilitating, highly prevalent condition that affects approximately 15% of the population. It is well-known that many migraineurs experience nausea or vomiting, but other GI complaints occur often too. For example, migraineurs have IBS 2-4 times more often than healthy peers (1,2). This is a strong [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"doelgroep":[106],"class_list":["post-227413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","doelgroep-practitioner"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>29: The microbiome-migraine connection - Microbiome Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"29: The microbiome-migraine connection - Microbiome Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The gut microbiome plays role in migraine Migraine is a debilitating, highly prevalent condition that affects approximately 15% of the population. It is well-known that many migraineurs experience nausea or vomiting, but other GI complaints occur often too. For example, migraineurs have IBS 2-4 times more often than healthy peers (1,2). 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