How the trigeminal ganglion's internal clock affects headache pain
Official title: Regulation of headache pain responses by the Trigeminal ganglion clock
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11300226 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether the internal clock in the trigeminal ganglion helps explain daily patterns of pain in migraine and cluster headache.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | April 17, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $485,692 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS136677-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11300226 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with migraine or cluster headache, especially those who notice a daily pattern to their attacks, would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without headache disorders or whose headaches show no daily timing are unlikely to see direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying the biological clock inside the trigeminal ganglion, the nerve cluster linked to headache pain. They grow trigeminal tissue in the lab and use a mouse model that mimics headache to track when pain sensitivity rises and falls over the day. The team reads gene activity across the day with RNA sequencing and turns off core clock genes to see which molecules control rhythmic pain responses. The aim is to identify clock-regulated targets that could help time treatments for better pain control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable timing of treatments to when they work best, reducing headache severity or frequency.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and some human observations have linked circadian clocks to pain timing, but applying clock-based treatments for headache is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yoo, Seung-Hee — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Yoo, Seung-Hee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Deep learning approach to diagnosing chronic headaches and facial pain
A new AI-based method aims to improve how doctors diagnose chronic headache and facial pain by using a large, long-term set of patient data.
-
Understanding why some head injuries lead to long-lasting headaches and pain sensations
This grant tests how early inflammation after repeating mild brain injuries might set up long-lasting headaches and widespread pain, using a rat model to study brain circuits involved in pain.
-
Bispecific antibody therapy targeting CGRP and CCL2 for chronic post-traumatic headache
A new non-opioid treatment using a dual-targeting antibody aims to prevent and treat chronic post-traumatic headache in people who have suffered a mild traumatic brain injury.
-
Non-Addictive Nose Spray Nerve Block for Quick Migraine Relief
A new nasal nerve-blocking treatment being tested to relieve migraine attacks quickly without addictive drugs.
-
Pediatric Headache in the COVID era: learning from kids’ pain with smart data and brain signals
A pediatric-focused project uses computer learning and brain-behavior data to better classify headache types in kids and guide personalized treatment.
-
Meningeal nerve signals and immune cells in migraine pain
This NIH grant explores how nerve signals in the brain’s meninges interact with immune cells to trigger migraine pain, with results aimed at improving treatments for people who experience migraines.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.