Schoenen J
Cephalalgia. 1986;6 Suppl 5:47-54. doi: 10.1177/03331024860060S506.
The exact mechanism of action of beta blockers in migraine remains undetermined. An effect on the central nervous system (CNS) might be a factor. The evidence from the literature indicates that the anatomical and chemical targets for these drugs are present in the mammalian brain, that they readily penetrate the brain, and that they may modify CNS functions. The present study shows that psychomotor tests and contingent negative variation (CNV), an event related slow cerebral potential, both of which are abnormal in untreated migraineurs, tend to normalize after treatment with the beta blocker metoprolol. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was found between the amplitude of CNV and the clinical efficacy of beta blockers in migraineurs. One might hypothesize that a hyperactive central catecholaminergic state in migraine might be the common denominator between reduced performance on psychomotor testing and enhanced CNV. It remains to be determined whether this is due to hyperactivity of catecholaminergic neurons or to hypersensitivity of catecholamine receptors.
β受体阻滞剂治疗偏头痛的确切作用机制尚未确定。对中枢神经系统（CNS）的影响可能是一个因素。文献证据表明，这些药物的解剖学和化学靶点存在于哺乳动物大脑中，它们很容易穿透大脑，并且可能改变中枢神经系统功能。本研究表明，精神运动测试和关联性负变（CNV），一种与事件相关的缓慢脑电位，在未经治疗的偏头痛患者中均异常，在用β受体阻滞剂美托洛尔治疗后趋于正常。此外，在偏头痛患者中发现CNV的振幅与β受体阻滞剂的临床疗效之间存在强正相关。人们可能会推测，偏头痛中中枢儿茶酚胺能状态亢进可能是精神运动测试表现降低和CNV增强之间的共同特征。这是否是由于儿茶酚胺能神经元的活性亢进还是儿茶酚胺受体的超敏反应仍有待确定。
