The Migraine Science Collaborative Celebrates Its One-Year Anniversary: What Were You Reading over the Past Twelve Months?

One year after the launch of the new MSC website, news stories on psychedelics, CGRP inhibition, and artificial intelligence take the first three spots in our Top 10 list.

One year ago, the Migraine Science Collaborative relaunched as a research news, analysis, and opinion website for the international community of migraine and headache researchers and clinicians. As MSC celebrates its one-year anniversary, it’s a good time to look back at the content that caught readers’ eyes over the past year.

Grabbing the top spot in our news coverage is Promising Signs for Psychedelic Use in Cluster Headache. This story covered results from a small clinical study of psilocybin for treatment of cluster headache. The research, led by Yale School of Medicine’s Emmanuelle Schindler, was the first controlled investigation testing the psychedelic as a treatment this excruciating disorder.

Coming in at number two was Does CGRP Inhibition Quiet the “Migraine Brain”? This news article delved into research led by Rami Burstein, Harvard Medical School, who examined the effects of CGRP antibody treatment on the premonitory symptoms and number of triggers followed by headache. Results from this clinical study indicated that anti-CGRP treatment quiets the hyperexcitable “migraine brain.”

Reaching number three was Improving Headache Diagnosis with Artificial Intelligence. This news piece covered a proof-of-concept study from researchers at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium, who found that natural language processing and machine learning accurately classified migraine versus cluster headache.

On the interview front, our chat with the University of Iowa’s Andy Russo, who spoke about the role of animal models in migraine research, was the most popular interview over the last year. Our interview with molecular geneticist Lyn Griffiths, who discussed some of the key findings from migraine genetics research over the years, ranked number two. Rounding out the top three interviews was a conversation with Mayo Clinic’s Rashmi Halker Singh, who discussed the problems of stigma and stereotypes associated with migraine.

See the full lists below.

Top 10 MSC news articles (September 2022-August 2023)

1. Promising Signs for Psychedelic Use in Cluster Headache (27 February 2023)
A small study finds that low-dose psilocybin was safe and had a moderate effect size, though results did not reach statistical significance.

2. Does CGRP Inhibition Quiet the “Migraine Brain”? (13 July 2023)
Three months of galcanezumab treatment reduced the incidence of premonitory symptoms and number of triggers followed by headache, even in patients classified as “non-responders” to the drug.

3. Improving Headache Diagnosis with Artificial Intelligence (12 January 2023)
A recent proof-of-concept study shows that natural language processing and machine learning can accurately classify migraine versus cluster headache.

4. Solidifying the Link Between Nitric Oxide and Migraine (23 May 2023)
Two recent studies – one in people, one in animals – build the case for aberrant nitric oxide signaling in the pathophysiology of migraine. Experiments in mice implicate sex differences in mitochondrial function.

5. A New Approach to Migraine Treatment: Found in Translation? (24 January 2023)
A preclinical study reports that targeting an enzyme with a crucial role in protein synthesis improves hypersensitivity in rodent models of migraine. The strategy has promising therapeutic potential to treat migraine in people.

6. The Geography of Pain: Country versus Country, Province versus Province, State versus State (27 March 2023)
A recent study comparing pain levels between the US and Canada highlights the importance of socioeconomic status as a contributor to pain, as do subnational analyses in each country.

7. The Response to Triptans: What Counts as Success? What Counts as Failure? (19 January 2023)
A consensus panel of the European Headache Federation provides definitions of triptan responders and non-responders. The effort could improve migraine treatment and standardize research.

8. Shaping the Future of Headache Research (5 July 2023)
The Headache Research Priorities initiative seeks to set an agenda for the next decade of headache research. It’s now time for the entire headache community to weigh in on the effort.

9. Why Does Sumatriptan Only Work for Headache Disorders? (30 December 2022)
A new study further advances the case that the drug suppresses central sensitization, acting only in the trigeminal nociceptive system.

10. “Women Can Get Cluster Headache, Too” (8 March 2023)
The largest study so far of sex differences in cluster headache reports that more women than men experienced the chronic form of this condition, as well as longer bouts.

Top 3 MSC Interviews (September 2022-August 2023)

1. The Role of Animal Models in Migraine Research: A Conversation with Andy Russo (31 January 2023)
In this MSC interview, Professor Russo discusses his path to migraine research, animal models of migraine, and much more.

2. Talking Migraine Genetics: An Interview with Lyn Griffiths (4 May 2023)
In this MSC interview, Professor Griffiths discusses her career path to molecular genetics, key findings from migraine genetics research, links between migraine genes and the response to head trauma, and more.

3. Overcoming the Stigma and Stereotypes of Migraine: An Interview with Rashmi Halker Singh (5 June 2023)
Dr. Rashmi Halker Singh, who has migraine herself, speaks about why she’s so open about living with migraine, the stigma and stereotypes associated with the condition, and much more.