Exploring the effects of resveratrol supplementation on cerebrovascular function in hormonal migraineurs: A pilot study

Background: Past research suggests that hormonal migraineurs may have poorer cerebrovascular function than women who do not suffer from migraine. Resveratrol, a vasoactive phytoestrogen, has been shown to improve cerebrovascular function in several populations but has never been tested in hormonal migraineurs.

Aim: To investigate the effects of 3-month resveratrol supplementation on the cerebrovascular function of hormonal migraineurs.

Methods: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover intervention pilot study with resveratrol (150 mg/d for 3 months) in ten hormonal migraineurs (mean age: 37.2 ± 2.6 years). Participants visited the University of Newcastle's Clinical Nutrition Research Centre where quality of life and disability, and cerebrovascular function were assessed. Quality of life and disability were examined using Migraine-Specific Quality of Life, Headache Impact Test-6 and the Migraine Disability Assessment. Cerebrovascular function was determined using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to bilaterally measure blood flow velocity in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries at rest and in response to a hypercapnic stimulus. Cerebrovascular responsiveness to a cognitive task battery was also measured bilaterally in the middle cerebral arteries.

Results: Compared to placebo, blood flow velocity in the right posterior cerebral artery was significantly higher (P = 0.041) following resveratrol supplementation. No other significant differences in cerebrovascular function between resveratrol and placebo treatments were observed. Baseline correlation analyses revealed higher blood flow velocities in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries were associated with better quality of life and less disability. However, higher cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia in the posterior circulation was associated with higher migraine-related disability and poorer migraine-related quality of life.

Conclusion: In this pilot we found evidence that resveratrol may increase blood flow velocity in the right posterior cerebral artery in hormonal migraineurs. Larger cohorts are required confirm this effect and its potential relationship to migraine in premenopausal women.