Powers Lab

Study Status: Open to enrollment
Sponsored by the Migraine Research Foundation, this is a longitudinal study to better understand the experience and impact of migraine (e.g., emotional, physical, school, social, family functioning) on 100 adolescents presenting to the Cincinnati Children’s Headache Center. A random sample of participants will also be asked to provide daily ratings of migraine pain and functioning using an iPod Touch device to understand the dynamic relationship between migraine pain, behavior, and various psychological states.

Study Status: In preparation
The purpose of this investigation is to examine treatment adherence to biobehavioral recommendations (i.e., sleep, exercise, dietary and fluid intake) for the purpose of improving health outcomes in pediatric migraine. We are conducting a longitudinal study of adherence to preventative medication and lifestyle recommendations with 30 adolescents presenting to a headache specialty care center. Adolescents will be asked to report daily assessments of lifestyle behaviors using a mobile electronic device and consent to using an electronic monitoring bottle (i.e., MEMS) to track daily medication usage.

Study Status: Closed to enrollment
The Chronic Headache Study is a randomized, controlled, clinical trial incorporating the use of educational or behavioral treatment with medication to treat children with chronic daily headache.  

Patients involved in this trial progress through screening phase where they keep a daily headache calendar for 28 days, followed by a study screening visit.  Next during the treatment phase patients attend weekly skills training sessions for eight weeks, followed by two monthly booster sessions. Patients keep track of their headaches on daily headache diaries and practice acquired skills while taking amitriptyline (the study medication).  During the follow-up phase, patients have visits every three months for one year to review monthly headache calendars, headache skills learned during the treatment phase and healthy habits along with their neurological check-up. They often continue on a preventative medication as well.  

The trial is testing the impact of combined drug and nondrug treatment on a primary end point of reduction in headache frequency and a secondary end point of reduction in headache disability (PedMIDAS). 

Funded by:  National Institutes of Health, R01NS050536.

Dr. Powers, his lab, and colleagues have submitted a grant to the NIH/NINDS with the plan to conduct a multi-site clinical trial to determine the optimal medication for the prevention of migraines in children and adolescents. Specifically this trial will test if amitriptyline and topiramate are superior to placebo in reducing migraine frequency in children and adolescents, ages 8 to 17 years old, inclusive, and to conduct a comparative effectiveness study of the two therapies.