Why migraines begin in adolescent girls
Migraine Onset in Adolescent Girls
The team will follow girls aged 10–13, some with a family history of migraine and some without, to look for brain, hormone, and pain-sensitivity changes that appear before migraines start.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11259454 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be a healthy girl aged 10–13 who visits Washington University for baseline and follow-up visits over several years. Researchers will collect hormone measurements, do brain imaging focused on areas like the amygdala, and run simple pain-sensitivity tests. They will compare girls with a family history of migraine to those without and track who later develops migraine. The study will look at timing of hormonal, neural, and sensory changes before and after migraine begins to find early warning signs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Healthy girls aged 10–13, including both those with a family history of migraine and those without, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Boys, adults, or girls who already have established chronic migraines are unlikely to be eligible or to get direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify early warning signs and eventually guide strategies to prevent or reduce migraines in young girls.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies and preliminary data show changes in pain sensitivity and amygdala connectivity in people with migraine, but using these measures to predict first migraine onset in adolescents is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nahman-Averbuch, Hadas — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Nahman-Averbuch, Hadas
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 below.