New and Emerging Treatments for Migraine

Migraine can be extremely disabling with a considerable impact on the life of an individual in their ability to work or perform activities of daily living. The arrival of ‘triptans’ in the early 1990s saw a major change in the way migraines were treated, and ‘triptans’ remain the gold standard in treating an acute attack. For a long time there was very little progress in identifying new targets for acute treatment and there was virtually nothing new in migraine prevention. However, in recent times, considerable research has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of migraine and the coming decade should see a drastic change in treating and preventing migraines with potential neuro-pharmacological agents and non-invasive neuro-stimulation. This article briefly discusses the pathophysiology of migraine and reviews new therapeutic options as well as some promising treatments undergoing clinical trials.