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Neuralieve Headache Management System – is this the beginning of the end for migraines?

Neuralieve

US company Neuralieve has just grabbed a big win with the results of a trial of its handheld Headache Management System which, according to a recent study reported in The Lancet journal, managed to significantly reduce pain in around 40% of test patients compared to 22% for the placebo.

The system works by injecting a pulse of energy into the ‘electrical storm’ in the brain that presages a major headache, thereby stopping it from getting worse. It basically sounds as though you apply a mini MRI machine to the back of the head. Hmm…not sure about that long term. Anyway, tests continue. [Via]

 TMS is based on the principals of induction—rapidly changing magnetic fields that induce electrical currents. When TMS is applied to the back of the head, these mild electric currents pass non-invasively through the skull and tissue to excite and depolarize neurons in the brain. This process is thought to short circuit the abnormal electrical activity associated with migraine and cortical spreading depression

1 Comment

  • "When TMS is applied to the back of the head, these mild electric currents pass non-invasively through the skull and tissue to excite and depolarize neurons in the brain. This process is thought to short circuit the abnormal electrical activity associated with migraine and cortical spreading depression"

    Ummmm…. electrical currents aren't passing through anything, they're talking about induced currents – and electrical flow in the brain is ion mediated, which means magnetic fields will have a LOT less effect than they would on electron currents.

    Basically the reason MRI isn't dangerous is that unless the device above generates enough gauss to scramble every hardrive for a mile it won't do squat to your headache…

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