PhD defence D.S. (Daphne) van Casteren

Female-specific sex hormonal conditions are suggested to contribute to a lower migraine threshold, increasing the risk for menstrually related migraine attacks and potentiating the provoking effect of external trigger factors. Daily E-diary registrations are needed to correctly define menstrually related migraine attacks and to reliably determine monthly migraine-related frequencies. Based on E-diary data, menstrually related migraine attacks were shown to have a longer duration with a higher risk of migraine recurrence, increased headache intensity, and decreased pain coping compared to non-menstrually related attacks. While women more often experienced adverse events after the intake of triptans than men due to a higher drug exposure, an increased intake was seen during menstrually related attacks compared to non-menstrually related attacks. The long attack duration of menstrually related migraine attacks with a high risk of recurrence may be the explanation for higher migraine recurrence rates after the use of triptans in women compared to men.

Due to corona, the PhD defences do not take place publicly in the usual way in the Senate Hall or in the Professor Andries Querido Room. The candidates will defend their dissertation either in a small group or online.