Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40781571›Full record

ArticleImmunologic research2025

GFAP as a marker of astrocytic damage correlated with medication overuse in migraine.

Sara Carta, Vanessa Chiodega, Riccardo Tiberi, Alessia Pasquali, Sergio Ferrari, Silvia Bozzetti, Federico Ranieri, Fabio Marchioretto, Sara Mariotto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Immunologic research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Non-neuronal targets for migraine therapy.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Sara CartaDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy. srcrta@gmail.com.
Vanessa ChiodegaDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.
Riccardo TiberiDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.
Alessia PasqualiDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.
Sergio FerrariDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.
Silvia BozzettiDepartment of Neurology/Stroke Unit, San Maurizio Hospital, Bolzano, Italy.
Federico RanieriDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.
Fabio MarchiorettoNeurological Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar Di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy.
Sara MariottoDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, P.Le LA Scuro 10, Verona, 37135, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Different mechanisms are involved in migraine pathogenesis, including neurogenic inflammation, neurodegenerative processes, and a potential role of microglia. The aim of this study was to assess axonal and glial damage measuring serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in migraine patients. Serum samples of 25 patients with episodic migraine (EM), 25 with chronic migraine (CM) diagnosed in accordance with the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3), and 50 age-matched healthy controls were prospectively collected. NfL and GFAP levels were assessed using ultrasensitive paramagnetic bead-based ELISA (SIMOA). Non-parametric tests were used for group comparison and 2-tailed Spearman analysis to assess correlations. GFAP levels were significantly increased in migraine patients (median 103.15 pg/mL [IQR 70.98-146.34] vs. 69.43 pg/mL [IQR 53.04-91.85], p < 0.001), particularly in those with medication overuse (106.08 [IQR 87.94-159.07] vs. 71.38 [IQR 54.16-135.06], p = 0.007), without difference between EM and CM (p = 0.985). Although NfL levels were not increased (p = 0.387), they were higher in patients with a long migraine course (rho 0.519, p < 0.001). Attack at sampling/days from last attack, migraine frequency/attack severity did not influence NfL or GFAP levels. Our findings demonstrate the occurrence of glial damage, particularly correlated with medication overuse, and the presence of axonal damage in the later disease stage, providing potential novel cues for the migraine pathogenesis.

Indexed as

AstrocytesGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinHeadache Disorders, SecondaryMigraine DisordersAdultBiomarkersFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeurofilament ProteinsProspective StudiesBiomarkersGFAP protein, humanGlial Fibrillary Acidic Proteinneurofilament protein LNeurofilament ProteinsAstrocytic damageGFAPMedication overuseMigraine

Identifiers

PMID40781571
PMCPMC12334492

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.