Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature

Hemiplegic migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of migraine with aura characterized by transient unilateral motor weakness during attacks. Although monoclonal antibodies (mABs) targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway have shown efficacy in migraine prevention, their role in HM remain...

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Main Authors: Máté Héja, László Oláh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1579203/full
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author Máté Héja
László Oláh
author_facet Máté Héja
László Oláh
author_sort Máté Héja
collection DOAJ
description Hemiplegic migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of migraine with aura characterized by transient unilateral motor weakness during attacks. Although monoclonal antibodies (mABs) targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway have shown efficacy in migraine prevention, their role in HM remains largely unexplored, since these patients are generally excluded from randomized clinical trials aimed at developing migraine preventive drugs. We present a case of a middle-aged woman with chronic migraine and recurrent hemiplegic episodes treated with fremanezumab. After 11 months of monthly 225 mg subcutaneous fremanezumab injections, the patient experienced a substantial reduction in monthly headache days, aura episodes, and symptom severity, without safety concerns. This case adds to the emerging evidence supporting CGRP mABs as a potential therapeutic option for HM. Further research is needed to elucidate their precise mechanism and determine their efficacy in broader HM populations.
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spelling doaj-art-9aa9ad77b5364914a86e3db04aaa24ba2025-08-20T02:08:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-04-011610.3389/fneur.2025.15792031579203Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literatureMáté HéjaLászló OláhHemiplegic migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of migraine with aura characterized by transient unilateral motor weakness during attacks. Although monoclonal antibodies (mABs) targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway have shown efficacy in migraine prevention, their role in HM remains largely unexplored, since these patients are generally excluded from randomized clinical trials aimed at developing migraine preventive drugs. We present a case of a middle-aged woman with chronic migraine and recurrent hemiplegic episodes treated with fremanezumab. After 11 months of monthly 225 mg subcutaneous fremanezumab injections, the patient experienced a substantial reduction in monthly headache days, aura episodes, and symptom severity, without safety concerns. This case adds to the emerging evidence supporting CGRP mABs as a potential therapeutic option for HM. Further research is needed to elucidate their precise mechanism and determine their efficacy in broader HM populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1579203/fullmigrainehemiplegic migraineCGRPmonoclonal antibodyfremanezumab
spellingShingle Máté Héja
László Oláh
Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
Frontiers in Neurology
migraine
hemiplegic migraine
CGRP
monoclonal antibody
fremanezumab
title Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
title_full Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
title_fullStr Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
title_short Efficacy of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine: a case report and review of literature
title_sort efficacy of anti calcitonin gene related peptide monoclonal antibodies in hemiplegic migraine a case report and review of literature
topic migraine
hemiplegic migraine
CGRP
monoclonal antibody
fremanezumab
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1579203/full
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