Actu Neurol Scand 1998: 97: 142 Printed in UK - all rights reserved Copyright 0 Munksguurd 1995 ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA ISSN 0001 -631 4 Letter to the editor Buspirone in primary headaches Mitsikostas et al. have recently reported their experience with buspirone, the anxiolytic 5-HTIA receptor agonist, in the preventive treatment of chronic tension-type headache. Twelve (54.5 %) of 22 patients on buspirone improved their headache index (days with headache per month) by more than 50%. As far as they were aware, their study was “the first trial of buspirone in the treatment of primary headache syndromes” (1). Six years ago, we published our experience with buspirone in the preventive treatment of migraine in 33 patients. Twenty-five patients (76%) improved their headache index by 50% or more after 2 months of open buspirone treatment (2). Although needing to be confirmed in placebo-controlled trials, both our results and those of Mitsikostas et al., seem to support the role of a 5-HTIA hypersensitivity in migraine and tension-type headache pathogenesis. References 1. MITSIKOSTAS DD, GATZONIS S, THOMAS A, ILIAS A. Buspirone vs amitriptyline in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache. Acta Neurol Scand 1997: 96: 247-51. 2. PASCUAL J, BERCIANO J. An open trial of buspirone in migraine prophylaxis. Preliminary report. Clin Neuro- pharmacol 1991: 14: 245-50. Julio Pascual, Jose‘ Berciano Department of Medicine and Psychiatry Service of Neurology University Hospital Marquks de Valdecilla 39008 Santander, Spain 142

Buspirone in primary headaches

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SCANDINAVICA ISSN 0001 -631 4

Letter to the editor

Buspirone in primary headaches

Mitsikostas et al. have recently reported their experience with buspirone, the anxiolytic 5-HTIA receptor agonist, in the preventive treatment of chronic tension-type headache. Twelve (54.5 %) of 22 patients on buspirone improved their headache index (days with headache per month) by more than 50%. As far as they were aware, their study was “the first trial of buspirone in the treatment of primary headache syndromes” (1).

Six years ago, we published our experience with buspirone in the preventive treatment of migraine in 33 patients. Twenty-five patients (76%) improved their headache index by 50% or more after 2 months of open buspirone treatment (2). Although needing to be confirmed in placebo-controlled trials, both our results and those of Mitsikostas et al., seem to

support the role of a 5-HTIA hypersensitivity in migraine and tension-type headache pathogenesis.

References

1. MITSIKOSTAS DD, GATZONIS S, THOMAS A, ILIAS A. Buspirone vs amitriptyline in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache. Acta Neurol Scand 1997: 96: 247-51.

2. PASCUAL J, BERCIANO J. An open trial of buspirone in migraine prophylaxis. Preliminary report. Clin Neuro- pharmacol 1991: 14: 245-50.

Julio Pascual, Jose‘ Berciano Department of Medicine and Psychiatry

Service of Neurology University Hospital Marquks de Valdecilla

39008 Santander, Spain

142