Post-Traumatic Headache

MINNEAPOLIS, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- People who have headaches after experiencing concussions may also be more likely to have higher levels of iron in areas of the brain, which is a sign of injury to brain cells, according to a preliminary study released March 5, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online. "These results suggest that iron accumulation in the brain can be used as a biomarker for concussion and post-traumatic headache, which could potentially help us understand the underlying processes that occur with these conditions," said study author Simona Nikolova, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 60 people who had post-traumatic headache due to mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion. The injuries were due to a fall for 45% of the people, 30% were due to a motor vehicle accident and 12% were due to a fight. Other causes were the head hitting against or by an object and sports injuries. A total of 46% of the people had one mild traumatic brain injury in their lifetime, 17% had two, 16% had three, 5% had four and 16% had five or more mild traumatic brain injuries. The people with mild traumatic brain injuries were matched with 60 people who had not had concussions or post-traumatic headache. All the participants had brain scans to look at iron levels in various areas of the brain, using an indirect measure for iron burden. For those with mild traumatic brain injuries, the scans were taken an average of 25 days after the injury. The study found that compared to the people without concussion, those with a history of concussion and headaches had higher levels of iron accumulation in several areas of the brain, including the left occipital area, right cerebellum and right temporal lobe. Researchers also found that the more concussions people had over their lifetime and the more frequent their headaches were, the more likely they were to have higher levels of iron accumulation in certain areas of the brain. They also found that the more time that had passed since the concussion occurred, the more likely people were to have higher levels of iron accumulation in areas of the brain. "Previous studies have shown that iron accumulation can affect how areas of the brain interact with each other," Nikolova said. "This research may help us better understand how the brain responds and recovers from concussion." Nikolova said that since the study used an indirect measure of iron burden, it's possible that the change in that measure could be due to other factors such as hemorrhage or changes in tissue water rather than iron accumulation. The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health. Learn more about concussion at BrainandLife.org, home of the American Academy of Neurology's free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life® on Facebook, X and Instagram. When posting to social media channels about this research, we encourage you to use the American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting hashtag #AANAM. The American Academy of Neurology is the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 40,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit AAN.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. SOURCE American Academy of Neurology

ROCKAWAY, N.J., July 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- electroCore, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECOR), a commercial-stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company, today announced that its gammaCore non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (“nVNS”) has been selected to be a part of studies on effects of cannabinoids and alternative care on athlete pain management and performance. The NFL and NFLPA are jointly awarding two research grants to independent medical researchers at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) and Emory University. The grants will fund investigations into innovative, first-of-their-kind, alternative pain management methods that could benefit NFL players, and society at large. These awards are the second round chosen by the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee (PMC), which aims to facilitate research to better understand and improve potential alternative pain management treatments for NFL players. nVNS will be used in “A Pilot Study Assessing Non-Invasive Treatment of Refractory Post-Concussion Headache Pain," led by Dr. Erika Petersen and researchers at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN). The randomized study will compare nVNS and cannabidiol (CBD) in contact sport athletes experiencing Post-Traumatic Headache (PTH) to current standard of care treatment. PTH is one of the most common aftereffects of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. PTH is a poorly treated, highly debilitating headache disorder where medications and other options for treatment are not very effective. Given that nearly 4 million Americans are diagnosed with concussions annually, PTH should be considered a substantial public health concern. The pilot data gathered in this study will guide future investigations into treatment of patients with post-traumatic headache. “We are thrilled to have been selected to be part of a study that focuses on alternative care options for pain management and performance,” said Dr. Peter Staats, Chief Medical Officer at electroCore. “Post-Traumatic Headache as an area of focus for electroCore is a natural progression from our cleared indications in primary headache. We are hopeful that nVNS will prove to be a pain management option for athletes, military personnel, or anyone suffering from pain associated with PTH.” About the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management CommitteeThe Joint Pain Management Committee is comprised of medical experts appointed by the league and the NFLPA. The Committee works to establish uniform standards for club practices and policies regarding pain management and the use of prescription medications by NFL players. About electroCore, Inc.electroCore, Inc. is a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company dedicated to improving health through its non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (“nVNS”) technology platform. Our focus is the commercialization of medical devices for the management and treatment of certain medical conditions and consumer product offerings utilizing nVNS to promote general wellbeing and human performance in the United States and select overseas markets. For more information, visit www.electrocore.com. About gammaCore™gammaCore™ (nVNS) is the first non-invasive, hand-held medical therapy applied at the neck to treat migraine and cluster headache through the utilization of a mild electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve that passes through the skin. Designed as a portable, easy-to-use technology, gammaCore is self-administered by patients, as needed, without the potential side effects associated with commonly prescribed drugs. When placed on a patient’s neck over the vagus nerve, gammaCore stimulates the nerve’s afferent fibers, which may lead to a reduction of pain in patients. gammaCore™ is intended to provide non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) on the side of the neck for preventive treatment of migraine and the acute treatment of pain associated with migraine in patients 12 and older. gammaCore is also indicated for adjunctive use for preventive treatment of cluster headache, acute treatment of episodic cluster headache, and treatment of hemicrania continua and paroxysmal hemicrania in adult patients. gammaCore should not be used by people with an active implantable medical device. Please refer to gammaCore.com or the Instructions for Use for complete safety information, including indications, contraindications, warnings, cautions, and instructions. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the results from work being conducted as part of the two research grants to independent medical researchers at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) and Emory University on effects of cannabinoids and alternative care on athlete pain management and performance, statements about electroCore's business prospects and clinical and product development plans; its pipeline or potential markets for its technologies, electroCore's business prospects, its sales and marketing and product development plans, future cash flow projections, anticipated costs, its product portfolio or potential markets for its technologies, the availability and impact of payor coverage, the potential of nVNS generally and gammaCore nVNS in particular to concussion and PTH, and other statements that are not historical in nature, particularly those using terminology such as "anticipates," "expects," "believes," "intends," other words of similar meaning, derivations of such words and the use of future dates. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the ability to obtain additional financing necessary to continue electroCore's business, sales and marketing and product development plans, the uncertainties inherent in the development of new products or technologies, the ability to successfully commercialize TAC-STIM™, competition in the industry in which electroCore operates and general market conditions. The results of earlier preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of results of future preclinical studies, clinical trials, or commercial success. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and electroCore undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Investors should refer to all information set forth in this document and should also refer to the disclosure of risk factors set forth in the reports and other documents electroCore files with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov. Contact:ECOR Investor Relations(973) 302-9253investors@electrocore.com

A study has shown that prazosin, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, can prevent post-traumatic headaches. A study led by VA Puget Sound Health Care System researchers has shown that prazosin, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, can prevent posttraumatic headaches. Senior study author Dr. Murray Raskind, director of the VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center in Seattle, Washington, explained that few treatment options exist for this type of headache. "Persistent posttraumatic headaches are the most common long-term consequence of mild traumatic brain injuries (concussions) in Veterans and active-duty service members, causing substantial distress and disability at home and work. Although these headaches usually resemble migraine headaches symptomatically, they often fail to respond to the prevention treatments useful for migraines," said Raskind. The FDA approved prazosin to treat hypertension in 1976. It has been widely used "off-label" to treat conditions such as PTSD-associated nightmares and enlarged prostate. An earlier study by members of the research group suggested that prazosin could reduce the frequency and severity of headaches caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). To test this effect, the researchers conducted a pilot study with 48 Veterans and service members with headaches caused by mild TBI, also known as a concussion. Participants took gradually increasing doses of prazosin for five weeks before receiving the maximum dose for 12 weeks. The study showed that the drug was well-tolerated, and researchers reported that morning drowsiness was the only adverse effect. Before the trial began, study participants had an average of 18 headache days each month. By the end of the 12-week period, those taking prazosin only had headaches for an average of six days a month. Participants receiving a placebo reported some reduction in headaches, but still had headaches about 12 days a month. Significantly more participants in the prazosin group had at least 50% fewer headaches during the 12 weeks of taking a full dose of medication. Participants taking prazosin also saw significant decreases in how much headaches impacted their quality of life. By the end of the trial, those taking prazosin reported that headaches had "some impact" on their daily ability to function, while participants given a placebo continued to report "severe impact" of headaches. Larger clinical trials are needed to confirm the extent of these promising results, according to the researchers, but these initial findings offer a potential relief for a common ailment faced by many Veterans. "This study is the only clinical trial of an oral medication to demonstrate efficacy for posttraumatic headache. Because prazosin is widely used across VA and the Department of Defense to treat PTSD trauma nightmares and sleep disruption, many VA and DOD prescribers are familiar with prescribing this generically available, inexpensive medication," said Raskind. "Prazosin now offers an evidence-based approach to alleviate the suffering of Veterans and service members who have struggled for years with frequent posttraumatic headaches." TBI has been called the "signature injury" of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2000, more than 460,000 service members have sustained a TBI, most of which were mild TBIs. Headaches are common following a mild TBI, and they often become chronic and cause substantial disability and distress.