Clinical and preclinical studies suggest that 5-HT and nitric oxide (NO) mobilization within the trigeminovascular system is fundamental to the initiation of migraine attacks., e.g. m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) induce headache in humans. 5-HT2B receptors are known to mediate NO-dependent vasorelaxation in peripheral blood vessels, raising the possibility that this receptor is implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Therefore, we measured the effects of 5-HT2B agonists (m-CPP or BW723C86) or GTN on trigeminal nerves by quantifying Fos expression in the rat TNC. m-CPP (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) induced time-dependent elevations in Fos-LI in the rat TNC 2 h and 8 h after injection. In contrast, neither intravenous GTN (0.5 microg/kg per min, infused 20 min) nor BW723C86 (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) increased Fos-LI at 2 h or 8 h after administration. These data are not consistent with the involvement of the 5-HT2B/2C receptors or NO in trigeminovascular activation, and by inference migraine, and suggest the contribution of some other unidentified pathway.