Rainero Innocenzo, De Martino Paola, Pinessi Lorenzo
Neurology II - Headache Centre, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15-10126, Torino, Italy.
Expert Rev Neurother. 2008 Mar;8(3):409-16. doi: 10.1586/14737175.8.3.409.
Hypocretins (or orexins) are two neuropeptides synthesized by neurons located exclusively in the hypothalamus. Hypocretin-containing neurons have widespread projections throughout the CNS; with particularly dense excitatory projections to monoaminergic and serotonergic brainstem centers. The hypocretin system influences a wide range of physiological processes in mammals, such as feeding, arousal, rewards and drug addiction. Recently, a number of studies in experimental animals showed that hypocretins are involved in pain modulation within the CNS, and suggested the presence of a link between these peptides and nociceptive phenomena observed in primary headaches. The aim of this review is to describe and discuss recent studies in humans suggesting a role for the hypocretin neuronal system in cluster headache and chronic migraine.
下丘脑分泌素（或食欲素）是由仅位于下丘脑的神经元合成的两种神经肽。含下丘脑分泌素的神经元在整个中枢神经系统有广泛的投射；对单胺能和血清素能脑干中枢有特别密集的兴奋性投射。下丘脑分泌素系统影响哺乳动物的多种生理过程，如进食、觉醒、奖赏和药物成瘾。最近，一些对实验动物的研究表明，下丘脑分泌素参与中枢神经系统内的疼痛调节，并提示这些肽与在原发性头痛中观察到的伤害感受现象之间存在联系。这篇综述的目的是描述和讨论最近在人类中的研究，这些研究提示下丘脑分泌素神经元系统在丛集性头痛和慢性偏头痛中起作用。
