2017 Articles You Don’t Want to Miss
Over the past year, Headache has published a wealth of new research on head and face pain. Here are the most talked about journal articles from 2017.
Since 1961, Headache, the Journal of Head and Face Pain, has been at the forefront of headache medicine, publishing some of the most important articles in the field for more than 50 years. As the official peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Headache Society, Headache provides a platform for the best and most innovative research that advances the Society’s goal of improving the care and the lives of people living with headache. Last year, groundbreaking research generated a wealth of submissions and published articles for Headache, many of which are credited to AHS members. These are the top five most talked about articles published this past year, according to Altmetric.
Insights into the Functional Anatomy Behind the PREEMPT Injection Paradigm: Guidance on Achieving Optimal Outcomes¹ by Andrew Blumenfeld, M.D., Stephen Silberstein, M.D., David Dodick, M.D., Sheena Aurora, M.D., Mitchel F. Brin, M.D., and William Binder, M.D. provides additional insight for the safe and effective use of onabotulinumtoxinA to treat chronic migraine, beyond what is provided by the Phase III Research Evaluating Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy (PREEMPT). OnabotulinumtoxinA is the only treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of headache in patients with chronic migraine. Guidelines for use exist under the PREEMPT clinical program, but a detailed anatomical exploration was not included in those trials.
Associations Between Depression/Anxiety and Headache Frequency in Migraineurs: A Cross-Sectional Study² led by Hsuan-Te Chu, M.D. with Chih-Sung Liang, M.D., Jiunn-Tay Lee M.D., Ta-Chuan Yeh, M.D., Meei Shyuan Lee Ph.D., Yueh Feng Sung, M.D, Ph.D. and Fu-Chi Yang M.D, Ph.D. researched the possibly of a bidirectional association between depression, migraine and headache characteristics, and their impact on anxiety symptoms. Migraine is often associated with psychiatric comorbidities, most commonly anxiety and depression. The results of this study found migraine frequency can be predictive of an individual’s depression or anxiety severity. These findings suggest that preventive treatments may reduce the risk of depression and anxiety in patients with migraine.
Forecasting Individual Headache Attacks Using Perceived Stress: Development of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Persons With Episodic Migraine³ by Timothy Houle Ph.D., Dana Turner, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., Adrienne Golding, B.A., John Porter, M.D., Vincent Martin, M.D., Donald Penzien, Ph.D. and Charles Tegeler, M.D. developed a migraine onset prediction model based on perceived stress levels from 100 participants with episodic migraine. Results of this longitudinal study found that measuring stress from daily life can help predict the future occurrence of headache attacks.
Preventing Episodic Migraine With Caloric Vestibular Stimulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial⁴ led by David Wilkinson, Ph.D. with Kristen Ade, Ph.D., Lesco Rodgers, M.D., Lanty Smith, L.L.B, Kathryn Poynter, R.N., Daniel T. Laskowitz, M.D., Marshall Freeman, M.D., Michael Hoffer, M.D., Joel Saper, M.D., Dianne Scott, M.D., Mohamed Sakel, M.D., Anne Calhoun, M.D., and Robert Black Ph.D. evaluated the TNM™ device for Caloric Vestibular Stimulation (CVS) on its safety and efficacy in treating adult patients with migraine. CVS can be performed via an in-ear neuromodulation device, and may offer migraine patients an option for nonpharmacological preventative treatment. Results found this highly tolerable, non-invasive treatment caused a significant reduction in the number of migraine attacks.
The Migraine Attack as a Homeostatic, Neuroprotective Response to Brain Oxidative Stress: Preliminary Evidence for a Theory⁵ by Jonathan M. Borkum, Ph.D. expands on the current understanding of migraine, proposing that migraine attacks could be an integrated defensive response to oxidative threats to the brain. Previous research has suggested that patients with migraine have higher levels of oxidative stress between episodes. This theory suggests that migraine may not be a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of sharp rises in oxidative stress.
The American Headache Society is committed to keeping its members up to date on the most innovative and meaningful advancements in the field of headache medicine. One of many initiatives to support that mission is Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain which highlights the latest findings in headache research. Our “From the Journal” series offers a preview of some of the groundbreaking work detailed in Headache. Enjoy access to the full catalogue of content plus a print subscription, included with an American Headache Society Membership. Click here to become a member today.
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⁵Borkum, J. M. (2018), The Migraine Attack as a Homeostatic, Neuroprotective Response to Brain Oxidative Stress: Preliminary Evidence for a Theory. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 58: 118–135. doi:10.1111/head.13214