Oxytocin as a potential migraine fighter for people with aura
Official title: The role of oxytocin as an abortive and preventive anti-migraine therapy in a spreading depolarization model of migraine with aura
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11459485 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist-led study at a major hospital tests whether the brain chemical oxytocin can help stop or prevent migraine attacks that involve aura.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $589,105 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS151782-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11459485 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with migraine with aura who could benefit from new abortive or preventive therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose migraines are not influenced by oxytocin pathways or who require different mechanisms of action may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a mouse model of migraine with aura to see if oxytocin can rapidly stop pain when a spreading depolarization wave starts, and whether it can help prevent future episodes. They will use advanced techniques like chemogenetics, optogenetics, and machine learning to pinpoint how oxytocin works and where in the body it acts. The study also explores a peripheral oxytocin receptor activator to see if a simpler treatment could be effective and better tolerated. The project will employ new microchip technology to deliver stimuli in awake mice, aiming for translational insights that could guide human trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new oxytocin-based options to abort or prevent migraines with aura.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work with oxytocin and migraine has shown potential signals, but this project extends to advanced methods and awake-animal models for clearer translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harriott, Andrea M — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Harriott, Andrea M
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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.