Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist prescribed for the treatment of obesity. In a new clinical trial, the drug was administered to 26 obese men and women with chronic migraines. Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported a significant improvement in their quality of life following a reduction in migraine frequency, according to Science Daily.
Participants reported an 11-day reduction in migraine symptoms per month. Their migraine-related disability score decreased by 35 points. Since their body mass index remained virtually unchanged during the study, the researchers concluded that liraglutide exerted its therapeutic effect by modulating intracranial pressure.
"The result supports the hypothesis that the benefit is due to changes in blood pressure, not weight loss," the authors stated. They now plan to conduct another study to compare the effects of direct and indirect changes in intracranial pressure, as well as evaluate other AGLP-1 inhibitors in patients. These experiments should determine optimal dosage regimens for treating migraine symptoms.
In another study, scientists previously showed that the drug ubrogepant relieves migraine symptoms long before they occur.
