Novel Brain-Stimulation Device Treats Migraines

The prescription device is used after the onset of pain associated with migraine headaches preceded by an aura. Using both hands to hold the device against the back of the head, the user presses a button to release a pulse of magnetic energy to stimulate the occipital cortex in the brain. The magnetic field induces very mild electrical currents in the brain tissue to excite and depolarize neurons, interrupting abnormal electrical activity.

The portable, easy-to-use, device automatically records treatment history and provides a convenient headache diary that can be filled out after each treatment, or at any time after the migraine subsides. In a pivotal trial on 201 patients, nearly 38% of migraine sufferers who used the device were pain-free two hours after onset, compared to about 17% in the control group, and nearly 34% of those in the treatment arm stayed that way after 24 hours, compared to the 10% rate of the control segment.

The SpringTMS Total Migraine System is a product of eNeura Therapeutics (Sunnyvale, CA, USA), and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The device must not be used if the patient has implanted metal prostheses in the head, neck, or upper body that are attracted by a magnet, or if they have an active implanted medical device such as a pacemaker or deep brain stimulator (DBS). It should also not be used in patients with suspected or diagnosed epilepsy or a personal or family history of seizures.

Migraine headaches are characterized by intense pulsing or throbbing pain in one area of the head accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. A migraine can last anywhere between 4 and 72 hours when untreated. The debilitating headaches affect about 10% of people worldwide, and are three times more common in women than in men. About one third of people with migraines experience an aura.

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eNeura Therapeutics