Headache Disorders

As touchNEUROLOGY approaches 20 years of providing education for busy neurologists, we are looking to the future—and it certainly looks bright!

Prof. Simona Sacco discusses the evolving science behind anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) therapies for migraine and the promise of new delivery methods. Prof. Simona Sacco is a leading neurologist based at the University of L’Aquila, Italy, and currently serves as the President of the European Stroke Organisation (ESO). Her research spans migraine pathophysiology, stroke management, and health equity across Europe.

Physician burnout is at a critical point. In this episode, Nicky speaks with Dr Alfred Atanda about why so many physicians are burning out and what can be done to change the trend. From personal experience to system-wide solutions, Dr Atanda shares valuable insights on improving physician well-being and building a more effective healthcare culture.

What if your medical degree could launch more than a clinical career? In this candid and compelling read, Dr Jon Edelson shares his lessons for early-career clinicians ready to think beyond the bedside and explore the business of medicine.

In this episode, we explore the future of continuing medical education (CME) with the team behind touchIME. Hannah Fisher and Matthew Goodwin share insights into global and US trends, the importance of patient inclusivity and how educational outcomes are evolving to better measure the direct impact of learning on clinical practice and patient care.

Rotterdam (ka). ‘Towards a better headache treatment for everyone’ - The ambitious motto of achieving better headache treatment for everyone was at the centre of the 18th European Headache Congress in Rotterdam. The top-class conference is regarded as an international platform for scientific exchange on the subject of headaches. Confidently chaired by Prof Antoinette Maassen van den Brink, Rotterdam and Prof Jan Versijpt, Brussels, the EHC 2024 Congress was a complete success with around 2,200 participants.

In this episode, we’re joined by Bradley Love, Professor of Cognitive and Decision Sciences at UCL, ELLIS fellow, and creator of BrainGPT. We discuss how this large language model is poised to assist researchers in advancing their work.

In a new consensus statement, the American Headache Society recommends CGRP-targeting therapies as first-line options for migraine prevention, alongside existing treatments, without necessitating prior failure of other preventive treatments.

Data from the REFORM trial (NCT04674020) provide valuable insights into cortical inflammation in adults with migraines, using a novel quantitative, multimodal MRI technique to compare these patients with age- and gender-matched healthy controls, enhancing our understanding of migraine biology and other headache disorders. The discussion also covers cluster headaches, focusing on a study that examines premonitory symptoms in affected individuals and highlights key phenotypic characteristics. Additionally, we explore findings from the European Migraine & Headache Alliance on the stigma surrounding migraines, which yield insightful and actionable results. Looking ahead, the focus shifts to the latest data on new medications for preventing and treating migraine attacks, discussing future prospects and identifying areas in headache disorder management that still need further attention.