[Importance of chemical mediators for the pathogenesis and treatment of hemicrania].

The vascular mechanism of migraine attacks--intracranial vasoconstriction during the prodromal stage and passive vasodilatation of extracranial arteries during the painful phase--has been confirmed by modern methods. In addition, number of humoral factors--plasmakinin, serotonin, histamine--intervene in the chain of events that culminates in migraine headache. In addition to these three humoral mediators, the part played by tyramine in migraine of alimentary origin, the precipitating effect of oestrogen decrease in menstrual migraine and the hypothetical role of prostaglandins and prolactin are discussed. The multifactorial mechanism of migraine accounts for the very variable profiles of effective anti-migraine drugs.