Headache: Physiopathological and Clinical Concepts

The papers that constitute this volume were presented and discussed at an international symposium on headache held in Florence, Italy, in 1980. One hundred thirteen contributors from 19 countries provided 54 chapters in this state-of-the-art compendium. The book has been divided into six sections, which deal with clinical aspects, serotonin and its role in the pathogenesis of migraine, the important, but yet still mysterious, role of opiate receptors in the brain, the interrelationship between headache and other functions, the possible role of platelet aggregation in the migraine syndrome, and clinical and preclinical pharmacology of migraine. Friedman's introductory chapter is a masterpiece of conciseness, common sense, and lucidity. As one might expect in this type of compilation, the quality of the contributions varies considerably: there are good discussions of the relationship between the endorphins and pain modulation, neuronal sensitivity, and opiate tolerance and dependence, as well as several interesting reports on