Recent evidence has demonstrated that neurogenic vascular headaches are a combination of neurological primary events and secondary vasomotor changes. The neurological events involve the hypothalamus and sensory cortex with sympathetic hypofunction and noradrenergic abnormalities. A platelet theory has been proposed but has not really been confirmed as a legitimate cause of the neurogenic vascular headaches.

Food and chemicals in foods can act as a precipitating factor in the food-sensitive neurogenic vascular headache patient. In these patients evidence is now being demonstrated to confirm this, but larger patient studies are needed. The food-sensitive migraine patient and cluster headache patient must give a good history and food diary to go along with active challenges and provocative testing in order to determine the causative foods. Any concomitant allergies of inhalants or environmentals must also be treated. The treatment modalities of elimination and rotation diets or provocation neutralization may successfully control the headaches without the need for continuous medications.

Many authorities recognize foods containing pharmacologic agents, such as tyramine, as possible provokers of migraine. However, the importance of foods lacking these properties is less clear. During the 1980s, there was renewed interest in food-induced migraine. Studies have attempted to address the incidence of food-induced migraine and have recently begun to study potential mechanisms.