Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (Gaba) Receptors Rho (Gabrr) Gene Polymorphisms and Risk for Migraine

Background/objectives: The possible role of gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA) in the pathogenesis of migraine has been suggested by a number of biochemical, pharmacological, neurophysiological and experimental data. We investigated the possible association between the most common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the GABA receptor rho1, 2, and 3 genes (GABRR1, GABRR2, and GABRR3) and the risk of developing migraine.

Methods: The frequency of GABRR1 rs12200969, GABRR1 rs1186902, GABRR2 rs282129, and GABRR3 rs832032 genotypes and allelic variants were studied in a case-control association study involving 197 patients with migraine and 278 healthy controls by means of a TaqMan-based qPCR Assay. We also studied the possible influence of gender, age at onset of migraine, positive family history of migraine, presence or absence of aura, and triggering of migraine by ethanol on the frequency of the genotypes.

Results: The frequencies of the genotypes and allelic variants of the 4 SNPs were similar in migraine patients and controls. Gender, positive family history of migraine, presence or absence of aura, and triggering of migraine attacks by ethanol did not influence the frequency of these genotypes. Carriers of the minor allele of the rs1186902 SNP showed a trend towards later onset of migraine.

Conclusion: The most common polymorphisms in the GABRR genes seemed to be not associated with the risk for migraine in Caucasian Spanish people, although one of them (GABRR1 rs1186902) shows a statistically significant association with the age of onset of migraine.