Recent clinical and preclinical results using electroCore’s non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS, gammaCore) therapy in the treatment and prevention of primary headache are the subject of seven presentations at the American Headache Society Science Meeting being held at San Diego on June 9 to 12, 2016.

The seven accepted abstracts are based on work conducted at universities across the U.S. and Europe. They report on how nVNS is effective for many patients in preventing cluster headache attacks, decreasing the number of menstrual migraines and providing additional preclinical and clinical data that further demonstrates how nVNS may work.

The platform presentations are:

• “Does Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation with gammaCore Acutely Normalize Habituation of Visual Evoked Potentials in Migraine Patients?” Institutions involved: Headache Research Unit, Department of Neurology and University of Liège, Belgium. Presentation on June 10, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• “Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Cluster Headache: Effects on Attack Frequency Over Time and Response Rates.” Institution involved: The Migraine and Headache Clinic, Konigstein, Germany on behalf of the PREVA Study Group. Presentation on June 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• “Vagus Nerve Stimulation Inhibits Acute Intracranial Dural-Nociceptive Activation of Central Trigeminovascular Neurons.” Institution involved: The Department of Maxillofacial pathology and Radiology and Medicine, NY University College of Dentistry. Presentation on June 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• “Vagal Nerve Stimulation Suppresses Activation of Trigeminal Nociceptive Neurons in an Animal Model of Migraine Involving Trigeminal Sensitization.” Institution involved: The Centre for Biomedical and Life Sciences, Missouri State University. Presentation on June 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The posters due to be presented are:

• “Open-label Pilot Study of Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Prevention of Menstrual Migraine and Menstrually Related Migraine.” Institutions involved: Headache Center, Carlo Besta Neurological Institute and Foundation, Milan, Italy; Headache and Pain Unit, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico, San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy; and the Carolina Headache Institute, U.S. Presentation on June 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• “Neuronal Targets of Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Computational Modeling Study.” Institutions involved: The Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York and the University of California Centre for Pain Medicine. Presentation on June 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• “Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation with gammaCore in Healthy Subjects: Is There Electrophysiological Evidence for Activation of Vagal Afferents?” Institution involved: Headache Research Unit, Department of Neurology, University of Liège, Belgium. Presentation on June 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

American Headache Society
www.americanheadachesociety.org