Mind over Migraine: Former MP Dehenna Davison on Battling the Invisible Pain

Science Savvy

Welcome to the Migraine episode, part of Science Savvy with Carmen. In this episode, I explore the science, stigma, and impact of migraine through the lens of lived experience and neuroscience. With my background in pharmacology and biomedical engineering, I break down the biology behind migraine and unpack how it shows up in your daily life.

This episode features a conversation with Dehenna Davison, former Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland, who made headlines when she stepped down from her dream job due to chronic migraine. Dehenna shares her journey from suffering in silence to securing the first UK parliamentary debate on migraine since the 1960s. As someone who also lives with migraine, this episode is personal and deeply meaningful. Whether you experience migraine yourself or care about someone who does, this conversation offers scientific insights and emotional validation in equal measure.

Science Savvy helps you understand the systems shaping your thoughts, health, and behavior. If you're ready to explore your body and brain with a little more clarity, you're in the right place.

Further reading and references:

Goadsby, P. J., Holland, P. R., Martins-Oliveira, M., Hoffmann, J., Schankin, C., & Akerman, S. (2017). Pathophysiology of migraine: A disorder of sensory processing. Physiological Reviews, 97(2), 553–622. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00034.2015
Burstein, R., Noseda, R., & Borsook, D. (2015). Migraine: Multiple processes, complex pathophysiology. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35(17), 6619–6629. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0373-15.2015
Charles, A. (2018). The pathophysiology of migraine: Implications for clinical management. The Lancet Neurology, 17(2), 174–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30435-0
World Health Organization. (2022). Headache disorders: Key facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disorders
Steiner, T. J., Stovner, L. J., Jensen, R., Uluduz, D., & Katsarava, Z. (2020). Migraine remains second among the world's causes of disability, and first among young women: Findings from GBD2019. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 21(1), 137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-020-01208-0
Buse, D. C., Manack, A. N., Fanning, K. M., Serrano, D., Reed, M. L., & Lipton, R. B. (2012). Chronic migraine prevalence, disability, and sociodemographic factors: Results from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study. Headache, 52(10), 1456–1470. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02223.x
Lipton, R. B., Bigal, M. E., Diamond, M., Freitag, F., Reed, M. L., & Stewart, W. F. (2007). Migraine prevalence, disease burden, and the need for preventive therapy. Neurology, 68(5), 343–349. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000252808.97649.21
Prince, P. B., Rapoport, A. M., Sheftell, F. D., Tepper, S. J., & Bigal, M. E. (2004). The effect of weather on headache. Headache, 44(6), 596–602. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.446011.x
Finocchi, C., & Sivori, G. (2012). Food as trigger and aggravating factor of migraine. Neurological Sciences, 33(S1), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1046-5
Diener, H. C., Holle, D., Solbach, K., & Gaul, C. (2021). Medication-overuse headache: Risk factors, pathophysiology, and management. Nature Reviews Neurology, 17(2), 112–124. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-020-00428-0
Dodick, D. W. (2018). A phase-by-phase review of migraine pathophysiology. Headache, 58(S1), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13300
Silberstein, S. D., Holland, S., Freitag, F., Dodick, D. W., Argoff, C., & Ashman, E. (2012). Evidence-based guideline update: Pharmacologic treatment for episodic migraine prevention in adults. Neurology, 78(17), 1337–1345. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182535d0c
Tepper, S. J., & Ashina, M. (2019). CGRP and migraine: The emerging role of CGRP inhibitors. Headache, 59(3), 394–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13456
Russo, A. F. (2015). Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP): A new target for migraine. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 55, 533–552. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010814-124701
Lipton, R. B., Munjal, S., Alam, A., Buse, D. C., Fanning, K. M., Reed, M. L., & Schwedt, T. J. (2022). The impact of migraine on workplace productivity and the role of novel treatments. Headache, 62(3), 334–345. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.14286