Animal studies elsewhere show that electrically stimulating the trigeminal nerve, the major nerve leading from the brain to head and face, inflames the meninges. Traditional ideas on the origin of the pain looked at changes in blood flow to the head, particularly to the scalp. But Pappagallo has long suspected abnormalities in the meninges. There's no other way to explain something like this. For all the research done on migraines, the disorder remains enigmatic.
Scientists have only incomplete explanations for the overall cause.
Traditional views hold that a somewhat epilepsy-like disturbance in a trigger centre in the brainstem activates the trigeminal nerve which sends branches to the face, the scalp, to muscles surrounding blood vessels in the head and to the meninges. The other symptoms some people experience with migraines, such as numbness, tingling or visual disturbances, likely involve areas of the brain, rather than meninges, Pappagallo said. Any question regarding a medical diagnosis, treatment, referral, drug availability or pricing should be directed to either a licensed physician or to the product's manufacturer.