Clinical Research Directory

Mind Body Balance for Pediatric Migraine

This study uses a factorial research design to evaluate a nurse delivered mind body intervention using different doses of 3 treatment components to determine the optimized treatment for headache day reduction.

Comparing Unilateral and Bilateral Proximal GONPRF in Migraine Treatment

This study is designed to compare the clinical effectiveness of unilateral and bilateral Greater Occipital Nerve Pulsed Radiofrequency (GON-PRF) treatment at the C2 level in patients with migraine. The procedure will be guided by ultrasound and will focus on evaluating how each technique affects migraine symptoms. The main goal of this study is to assess the impact of both unilateral and bilateral GON-PRF treatments on migraine relief. Additionally, the secondary objectives of this study include evaluating the effects of these treatments on migraine-related disability and comparing any potential side effects or complications that may occur during the treatments. This research will help us understand which technique may be more effective and provide more information on the safety of these treatments.

Responding With Evidence and Access for Childhood Headaches

This comparative effectiveness study will clarify current first-line preventive treatment approaches for use by neurologists, psychologists, and primary care providers in the context of real world care, and will demonstrate the feasibility of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) via telehealth for youth with migraine. The focus is on applying evidence-based care and enhancing access to it. CBT via telehealth while taking a clinically-prescribed, pill-based prevention therapy (amitriptyline) will be compared to CBT via telehealth alone.

MIGRAFIT: Evaluating a Group Therapy Program Combining Physical Activity, Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Psychoeducation for Adolescents With Migraine

Background: Migraine is a headache disorder highly prevalent in children and adolescents. It significantly affects academic performance and quality of life. A conservative approach to pharmacological prophylaxis for pediatric patients persists in clinical practice, as potential risks must be carefully weighed against the benefits for each individual patient. Non-pharmacological interventions, including physical activity, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and psychoeducation have shown promising effects individually but demand a high level of patient motivation. This study protocol creates the foundation to evaluate a novel group therapy program combining high-intensity interval training (HIIT), PMR, and psychoeducation tailored for children and adolescents with migraine. Methods: This single-centre, open-label, randomized controlled trial will enrol 80 participants aged 13 to 17 years and diagnosed with migraine according to ICHD-3 criteria. Participants are randomized 1:1 into an intervention and control group. The intervention group will receive a 18-week, once-weekly 65-minute group therapy (comprising HIIT and PMR) plus two sessions of psychoeducation. The control group receives no intervention. Primary outcomes are changes in migraine frequency, duration, intensity and acute medication use, assessed through standardized headache diaries before and after the intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in migraine-related disability (PedMIDAS questionnaire), exploratory analysis of physical activity patterns in a subgroup and a patient-centered evaluation of the intervention's feasibility and perceived effectiveness. Discussion: This trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness and feasibility of a structured, time-efficient, multimodal group therapy intervention for pediatric migraine. By combining physical and psychological strategies within a supportive group setting, the program aims to overcome key limitations of adherence and offer a non-pharmacological treatment alternative. If successful, the intervention is intended to be incorporated into routine outpatient care for pediatric migraine at the Medical University of Innsbruck.

Aerobic Exercise and Its Impact on Sensory, Musculoskeletal, and Psychosocial Aspects in Migraine

Migraine is a neurological disorder associated with high levels of disability and changes in sensory processing, musculoskeletal function, and psychosocial factors. Aerobic exercise is a low-cost, non-pharmacological strategy that has shown potential benefits for migraine management, but its effects on sensory perception and musculoskeletal function are not yet fully understood. This randomized controlled trial will investigate the effects of a supervised aerobic exercise program combined with pain neuroscience education compared with an active control condition in women aged 18 to 48 years diagnosed with migraine. Participants will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group, which will perform supervised aerobic exercise three times per week for 16 weeks and receive one session of pain neuroscience education, or a control group, which will receive recommendations for unsupervised physical activity at home. Outcomes related to migraine-related disability, self-reported symptoms, sensory sensitivity, and musculoskeletal function will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention period. Questionnaires will also be collected at a 6-month follow-up. The results of this study may contribute to the development of accessible and low-risk non-pharmacological treatment strategies for people with migraine.

Hypersensitivity to Amylin in Post-Traumatic Headache

Pramlintide is a peptide analogue of human amylin which is a vasoactive substance involved in the pathogenesis of headache. This study investigates whether pramlintide induces migraine-like headache in people with persistent post-traumatic headache (PTH) attributed to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Amylin-Induced Migraine Attacks Without Aura

Pramlintide is a peptide analogue of human amylin which is a vasoactive signaling molecule involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. This study investigates whether pramlintide induces migraine attacks without aura in people with migraine without aura.

Efficacy of Scalp Block in Managing Post Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Headache in Critically Ill Patients. A Single Centre Randomized Controlled Trial

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating neurological disorder associated with significant mortality and morbidity rates, arising not just from the hemorrhage itself but also because of the catastrophic multisystem sequelae that can accompany the condition. Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm accounts for up to 85% of instances of SAH, occurring in approximately 3 to 25 people per 100,000 annually in most populations. Treatment of aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) includes prevention of re-bleeding, evacuation of space-occupying hematomas, management of hydrocephalus, and prevention of secondary cerebral insult. Severe headache is the predominant characteristic symptom of aSAH, developing almost instantaneously at ictus in 50% of cases and continuing into the first days. Its severity has a variety of physiological and psychological effects on the patient. Scalp blocks have been suggested to alleviate this headache in case series. However, there is no strong evidence supporting this intervention. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of scalp blocks on headache reduction in patients undergoing endovascular treatment of an aneurysm (coiling or flow diversion) with aneurysmal subarachnoid bleeding.

PERSONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE, COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND CENTRAL SENSITIZATION IN HEADACHE

Headache, in its episodic and chronic forms, cannot be considered solely as an isolated neurological symptom, but as a complex condition of a bio-psycho-social nature. While in the episodic form the painful episodes occur intermittently and have a variable impact on daily life, in the chronic form the disease evolves towards persistent pain, with more significant consequences on personal, social and work functioning. The following study protocol aims to investigate in an integrated manner the neurological, cognitive and psychological mechanisms involved in headache, with particular attention to the differences between episodic and chronic forms. The main objective is to assess the neuropsychological profiles and pain response of patients, monitoring their evolution over a period of approximately six months, considering the impact of central sensitisation, personality structure and any psychopathological comorbidities on pain management and treatment adherence. The protocol adopts a multidimensional approach aimed at optimising therapeutic efficacy and improving patients' quality of life, preventing progression to chronicity.

Determining the Utility of a Behavioral Intervention in Chronic Migraine

This proposal will involve a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes of a lifestyle behavior protocol in managing chronic migraine. Additionally, the proposal will investigate biomolecules that are uniquely involved in chronic migraine patients who respond to the protocol. Successful completion of this proposal will inform the design of a future full-scale behavioral clinical trial to control chronic migraine.

New Methods for Evaluating Preventive Migraine Treatment

The study aims to estimate treatment effects in a balanced placebo design (BPD) to specify to which extent contextual factors interact in preventive migraine treatment and influence adverse event occurrence in patients with chronic migraine. Using a clinical within-subjects design, patients with chronic migraine will receive four treatment conditions in a randomized order.

Effects of Online Mindfulness Therapy on Pain and Stress in Adults With Chronic Migraine and Adverse Childhood Experiences

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program in reducing pain, stress-related symptoms, and improving functionality in adults with chronic migraine and a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACE). Participants will be randomly assigned to either the MBCT intervention group or a control group. The intervention is delivered entirely online over eight weeks. The study hypothesizes that MBCT will result in significant improvements in pain perception and stress-related symptoms compared to the control condition.

Idebenone for the Preventive Treatment of Migraine

Idebenone improves energy metabolism similarly to Coenzyme Q10, which is effective in migraine prophylaxis. The investigators compare idebenone (90 mg/day, 270 mg/day) and placebo in 180 migraine patients in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial to study whether Idebenone is superior to placebo in the prevention of episodic migraine with or without aura.

Can a Specific OMT Protocol Influence Patient Pain and Associated Analgesia Use for Primary Headache Disorders?

The purpose of this study is to see if osteopathic manipulation or light touch can reduce either or both frequency of headaches or use of pain medication. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has been shown to help headache symptoms. The investigators like to see if regular OMT sessions can help reduce headache discomfort and also reduce use of pain medication like over-the-counter medications, migraine medications, and opioids. In this randomized controlled trial, a set sequence of OMT will be compared to light touch sham protocol. Investigators will compare participant responses to questionnaires that assess items including pain levels and reported pain medication use for the course of the study period to see if there are any shifts.

Prevalence and Pattern of Headache in Pediatric Epilepsy

This study aims to determine the prevalence and characteristics of headaches in children with epilepsy, aged 5-18 years. Approximately 60 children will participate at Assiut University Children's Hospital. The research will involve medical history collection, physical and neurological exams, EEG review, and blood tests. The study seeks to improve understanding of the relationship between epilepsy and headaches in children, potentially leading to better treatment strategies. Participation is voluntary, and the risks are minimal.

Intervention for Sleep and Pain in Youth: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Insomnia is a common comorbidity among adolescents with migraine. This randomized controlled clinical trial aims to determine efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia, as well as the combined effect of CBT insomnia and pain interventions, on reducing insomnia symptoms and headache-related disability in adolescents with migraine. The long-term goal is to offer effective, tailored self-management interventions that can address migraine and co-morbid sleep problems in adolescence and disrupt a cycle of persistent, disabling migraine from continuing into adulthood.

Smartphone Use Restriction as Treatment of Primary Headache

The goal of this clinical trial is to study smartphone use restriction as a treatment modality in patients of primary headache. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: 1. In patients with primary headache, does restriction of smartphone use lead to reduced consumption of medications (acute, prophylaxis, either or both)? 2. In patients with primary headache, does restriction of smartphone use lead to better responsiveness to medications (acute, prophylaxis, either or both)? 3. Can reduction of smartphone duration be used as a non-pharmacological treatment of primary headache? 4. In patients with primary headache, is the type of smartphone use (phone calls, internet browsing, watching screen) determinant of the severity of headache? 5. Can we make an addiction score to predict which patient should be advised to limit smartphone use based on the above information? 6. In patients with primary headache, does restriction of smartphone use led to improvement in headache severity (frequency, intensity, duration, one of them or all). The smartphone users may further be classified into low and high smartphone users depending upon the smartphone addiction questionnaire (SAQ) (appendix 1) usage score. SUs with 0-1 score on the SAQ were further grouped into low SUs, and patients with score ≥1 were grouped into high SUs. To create a homogenous group, only patients with high SU will be randomized to standard treatment (Arm C) and intervention group (Arm D). Participants will be asked about their smartphone usage, and if found eligible, there will be a run-in period of 4 weeks after which they will be randomized to the intervention (smartphone restriction) or comparison group (no restriction recommended)

RegistRare: a Retro-prospective Registry of Rare Primary Headaches in Italian Tertiary Headache Centres

Retro-prospective survey on specific and overall prevalence and incidence of rare primary headaches (Part One, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, ICHD-3 beta) in patients referred to Italian Tertiary Headache Centres in a 3-year (May 1, 2014-April 30, 2017 - retrospective data) and annually (from May 1, 2017 - prospective data).