What are migraines?
Migraine is a neurological condition that often brings throbbing head pain, frequently on one side, along with sensitivity to light, sound or smells. Some people notice an aura beforehand, such as shimmering lines or tingling. An episode can unfold in phases over hours or days, and many people feel drained afterward. Common triggers include changes in sleep, hormonal shifts, skipped meals, stress and certain sensory environments.
How your genes play a role
Migraine tends to run in families, and research has identified many genes linked to it. Some shape how nerve cells fire, others relate to blood vessels or brain chemistry such as serotonin and dopamine. No single gene explains migraine. Instead, many small variants may combine to set how easily the brain moves into a migraine state.
Living with migraine often means planning around something unpredictable. Knowing your genetic tendencies will not predict a specific attack, but it can help you understand your own sensitivity and take your patterns seriously. Many people find that keeping a simple diary of sleep, meals and stress reveals useful links. Your results can add depth to that picture and to your conversations with a clinician.
What your report shows
Your Migraines results are explained in plain language in your private EvoDNA account, alongside the other areas in your kit.
- Neural excitabilityHow variants in nerve signaling genes may relate to the sensitivity of your brain.
- Vascular factorsWhether you carry variants linked to the way blood vessels in the head behave.
- Brain chemistryHow you may process chemical messengers such as serotonin and dopamine.
- Folate pathwayHow efficiently your body may activate folate, a nutrient studied in migraine.
| Gene | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| MTHFR | Helps turn folate into its active form, and certain… | Typical |
| CACNA1A | Codes for a calcium channel that controls how brain… | Moderate effect |
| PRDM16 | A developmental gene that large genetic studies have repeatedly… | Typical |
Each result comes with a plain-language explanation and practical points to discuss with your clinician.
Illustration only. Your report reflects your own genetic results.
Genes we analyze
| Gene | Role |
|---|---|
| MTHFR | Helps turn folate into its active form, and certain variants have been studied in relation to migraine with aura. |
| CACNA1A | Codes for a calcium channel that controls how brain cells release chemical signals. |
| PRDM16 | A developmental gene that large genetic studies have repeatedly linked to migraine. |
| TSPAN2 | Codes for a membrane protein found in the nervous system and identified in migraine research. |
| MAOA | Makes an enzyme that breaks down serotonin and other mood related chemical messengers. |
Full panel: 10 genes
MTHFR, COMT, MAOA, BDNF, PRDM16, TSPAN2, ASTN2, CHRNB3, SORCS1, CACNA1A
Putting results to use
Many people use their results as a starting point for conversations with their clinician about:
Noting sleep, meals, stress and cycle timing can help you and your clinician spot patterns.
Keeping regular sleep and meal times is often discussed as a gentle way to reduce triggers.
Dimming lights and lowering noise when you feel an episode starting may bring some comfort.
Calming practices such as breathing exercises or walks may help some people over time.
Questions
Is migraine inherited?
Migraine often runs in families, and many genes have been linked to it. Still, genes only describe a tendency, and many people with these variants never develop frequent migraines.
Can my results identify my triggers?
Not directly. Your results can show biological tendencies, but triggers are personal and are best found by noticing your own patterns over time.
What should I do with this information?
Share it with your clinician as part of your wider history. Together you can decide what is useful and what next steps fit your situation.
Only interested in this area? The Headaches & Migraines Genetic Report is available on its own for $99.00.
