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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Calcitonin gene-related peptide concentration in cerebrospin...
Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1002/evj.70139

Calcitonin gene-related peptide concentration in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in horses affected by trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

Abstract: Trigeminal-mediated headshaking (TMHS) in horses shares clinical features with human trigeminal neuralgia (HTN). Increased levels of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) have been found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of HTN patients. Inhibition of CGRP in humans has shown promise for pain relief. Data on CGRP in horses affected by TMHS are currently lacking but if quantifiable and validated, could assist in developing new diagnostic and more rational therapeutic approaches. Objective: This study aimed to quantify and correlate CGRP concentrations in the serum and CSF of horses with TMHS; compare CSF CGRP levels across horses with various neurological, painful, inflammatory and chronic conditions; analyse serum CGRP concentrations before and after exercise-induced headshaking in affected horses versus healthy controls. Methods: Case-control study using bio-banked samples and prospective before-after study. Methods: CGRP concentrations were measured in CSF and serum using a commercial ELISA kit across healthy controls (CONTROL, n = 5), TMHS-affected horses (n = 30), horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM, n = 10) and horses with non-neurologic painful, inflammatory or chronic conditions (MIXED, n = 8). Results: Median (interquartile range [IQR]) serum CGRP concentration in TMHS horses was 14.9 pg/mL (11.3-19.0 pg/mL), while mean ± SD CGRP CSF concentration was 64.9 ± 6.3 pg/mL. No correlation was found between serum and CSF CGRP (Spearman's rho = -0.04, p = 0.88). CSF CGRP levels were significantly higher in CVSM (73.8 pg/mL; p = 0.011) and lower in MIXED (52.0 pg/mL; p = 0.001) compared to TMHS. Serum CGRP concentrations showed no significant difference between TMHS and CONTROL groups. Conclusions: Small sample size, lack of CSF samples from healthy controls. Conclusions: Higher CSF CGRP levels in neurologic conditions may suggest shared underlying mechanisms such as nerve irritation or neuroinflammation. Further research is needed to elucidate CGRP's role in TMHS pathophysiology.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-12-19 PubMed ID: 41416948DOI: 10.1002/evj.70139Google Scholar: Lookup
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APA
Weber LA, Oltmanns H, Chiavaccini L, Pickles KJ, Roberts V, Kloock T, Niebuhr T, Feige K. (2025). Calcitonin gene-related peptide concentration in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in horses affected by trigeminal-mediated headshaking. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1002/evj.70139

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Weber, Lisa Annabel
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Oltmanns, Hilke
  • Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Chiavaccini, Ludovica
  • Department of Comparative Diagnostic and Population Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Pickles, Kirstie J
  • Harper & Keele Veterinary School, Keele Campus, Staffordshire, UK.
Roberts, Veronica
  • Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, UK.
Kloock, Tanja
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
  • Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Niebuhr, Tobias
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
  • Equine Clinic Nindorf, Hanstedt, Germany.
Feige, Karsten
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

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