Migraine in Adolescents

This study aims to identify predictors of migraine onset in adolescents as well as to determine hormonal, psychophysical, and neural changes associated with migraine onset. The study procedures involve an MRI scan, sensory testing, blood draw, meeting with a specialist to determine migraine diagnosis, and completing surveys

After signing the consent/assent form, participants and their parent/legal guardian will complete surveys to ensure eligibility. At the beginning and/or after the baseline study visit and the beginning and/or after the follow-up study visits, participants will meet (in person or via electronic communication) with a headache/ pain specialist or a trained study staff member to determine if they meet the criteria for migraine diagnosis (based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition (ICHD-3) criteria). Participants will receive a copy of the Migraine Physician Meeting Summary Form (Migraine Summary Form). This may be sent to their email directly, email via DocuSign or in person at a study visit. For the healthy group, participants are required not to meet the criteria for migraine at the baseline study visit. For the migraine group, participants are required to meet the criteria for migraine diagnosis or present with migraine symptoms at the baseline study visit. Participants will be asked to complete a one-hour MRI scan and a psychophysical session which will include quantitative sensory testing (QST) assessments of pain sensitivity and inhibitory pain modulation capabilities (by testing the conditioned pain modulation response). During the psychophysical session, participants may also complete demographic, pubertal, and other surveys. At the end of the study visit, a blood draw may be conducted and a saliva sample might be collected for analyses of sex hormone levels. For two days following each study visit, participants may be asked to complete saliva samples, preferably at the same time as the study visit, to assess sex hormone levels. Additional blood and/or saliva samples may be collected at the study visits and stored for future genetic, hormonal or immune analyses.

Participants will complete short online monthly surveys for 2 years asking about the number of headaches in the last month, headache severity, causes for the headaches (e.g., virus), additional symptoms, and any new migraine diagnosis.

After 1 and 2 years, participants will return for follow-up study visits which may include the same procedures (MRI session, psychophysical session, completing surveys and a blood draw, and meeting with a headache/ pain specialist/trained study staff member).

Post menarche participants may have a pregnancy test before initiation of the study visit procedures. In case of pregnancy, participants will only meet with the headache/ pain specialist/trained study staff member and complete surveys. In addition, for post-menarche participants, if possible, the follow-up study visits may be scheduled at the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (1-10 days after the beginning of menstruation).