Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

App-Licable Techology, Wynter Hale, Cierilyn Legaspi, Juan Garcia, Alex Zamora

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has seen an increase in prevalence in the United States presenting in 1 in 59 children. ASD presents with an array of symptoms that impact various aspects of life including but not limited to, social interaction, attention, and behavioral modulation (Voss et al., 2019). Meristem is a transitional program for individuals ages 18-28 that prepares young adults on the transition of adulthood while coping with the various symptoms of ASD. At our fieldwork site, our collective mission has been to focus on sensory and mood self-regulation to improve the individual's independence during situations. Technology can play …

Point Of View Video Modeling For Improved Self Care Among Asd Population, Liana Mae Atizado, Cassey Dela Pena, Anali Flores, Jeffrey Garcia, Timothy Zeng

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Meristem is a program designed for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that emphasizes teaching the necessary skills for students to live life independently with confidence. Through structured and semi-structured interviews with staff members and students, a need that was identified within this organization is to have a thorough and consistent personal hygiene regimen for their students. While Meristem is currently implementing standard personal hygiene care in their curriculum, the variability of students understanding and implementing personal hygiene education has become an obstacle within this organization. To address this need for individuals with ASD, Video Modeling (VM) can offer …

Beyond Verbal: A Low-Cost Communication Tool To Address Language Barriers In A Community-Based Setting, Nikki Atis, Raman Dhillon, Victoria Maichel, Gabe Soto, Brenda Vergara

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) are tools, technologies, and approaches used to provide ways other than speech to aid communication-related challenges (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, n.d.). A communication board is a low-tech AAC tool seen in various formats such as printed on a poster board or digital applications on electronic devices. It consists of rows and columns of squares with simple pictures and minimally-worded labels in the preferred language.

Kitchen Stories, Terral Christopher, Nazifa Fazil, Lauren Jew, Ken Zhu

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Individuals with ASD may experience difficulties with independent living skills, such as financial management, home management and meal preparation. An occupation such as cooking typically includes methods such as task-analysis, systemic prompting, cueing, modeling, visual support and feedback, which can be challenging for the ASD population.

Kitchen Stories is a video-based, cross-media cooking platform whose mission is to “to empower people to cook a fresh meal every day.” Although cooking is an essential part of everyday life, the creators of the platform understand that many people struggle with it for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, they are confident that anyone …

Jackery Power Station: Stockton Shelter For The Homeless, Angela Vides, Abigail Equinoa, Carolyn Ly, Estephanie Huerta

Occupational Therapy Student Research

The community group, San Joaquin County Mobile Clinic, aims to improve the health outcomes of vulnerable populations by providing low-cost preventative healthcare and treatment options. This includes wound care, vaccinations, and assistance with accessing medical appointments and health insurance. However, research has shown that those without housing do not have adequate access to stable power sources to charge mobile devices to aid healthcare needs and access resources. The Jackery Power Station, which falls under the category of consumer access, priorities, and benefits over the lifespan, will attempt to address this barrier.

An estimated 2,631 individuals in San Joaquin county are …

Adaptive Seating, Julie Jones, Mckayla Wallace, Marisa Given, Nisha Rustia, George Cardenas

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Children’s sensory needs are impacting their ability to attend to their speech language pathology treatment sessions in a meaningful and effective way. There is a gap in the education for SLPs on sensory integration which limits their ability to recognize the challenges and know how to support them in a productive way.

Weighted Devices For Somatosensory Regulation, Bri Swain, Kaelyn Obryan, Lauren Magat, Nik Gargiulo, Hailey Houck

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Description: A weighted vest is a vest that typically has 10% of a person’s body weight evenly distributed around the vest (Olson et al., 2004). A weighted vest can provide sensory input that is believed to alleviate dysregulation, inattentiveness, and stereotypic behaviors (Carter et al., 2009).

Goal: Our community group is specifically targeting children with sensory processing impairments who are attending speech therapy sessions at the RiteCare clinic. Sensory behaviors exhibited by the clients are most commonly shown through dysregulation, outbursts, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. The goal is to limit these maladaptive behaviors and increase attention span during intervention sessions. Weighted …

Insight Timer, Jocelyn Ong Najera, Joshua Mark Dano, Staphany Jimenez, Arthur Lui, Nancy Smith

Occupational Therapy Student Research

Mission Statement: To provide cost-effective avenues for tangible stress reduction and relief for low-income communities such as Wellspring.

Overview: Insight Timer is a mobile application that offers guided meditation to calm the mind, reduce anxiety, manage stress, sleep deeply, and improve happiness. While also offering calm music, courses, live events, and workshops in various languages. (Insight Network, Inc., n.d.)

Problem Statement: Individuals who face poverty experience mental challenges due to stressors caused by poverty due to insecurity and uncertainty about food, housing, and income. Low-income communities tend to have limited resources, poor housing, experience high crime rates, violence rate, and …

Novel Designer Benzodiazepines: Comprehensive Review Of Evolving Clinical And Adverse Effects., Amber N. Edinoff, Catherine A. Nix, Amira S. Odisho, Caroline P. Babin, Alyssa G. Derouen, Salim C. Lutfallah, Elyse M. Cornett, Kevin S. Murnane, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

As tranquilizers, benzodiazepines have a wide range of clinical uses. Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of novel psychoactive substances, including designer benzodiazepines. Flubromazolam(8-bromo-6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-4

Prescription Stimulants In College And Medical Students: A Narrative Review Of Misuse, Cognitive Impact, And Adverse Effects, Amber N. Edinoff, Catherine A. Nix, Shawn E. Mcneil, Sarah E. Wagner, Catherine A. Johnson, Brooke C. Williams, Elyse M. Cornett, Kevin S. Murnane, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Stimulants are effective in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychiatrist Charles Bradley first made this discovery in 1937 when he found that children treated with amphetamines showed improvements in school performance and behavior. Between 1995 and 2008, stimulants to treat ADHD increased six-fold among American adults and adolescents at an annual rate of 6.5%. Stimulants without a prescription, known as nonmedical use or misuse, have also increased. The highest rates of nonmedical prescription drug misuse in the United States are seen most notably in young adults between 18 and 25 years, based on data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health …

Effects Of Frankincense Compounds On Infection, Inflammation, And Oral Health, Cassio Luiz Coutinho Almeida-Da-Silva, Nallusamy Sivakumar, Homer Asadi, Anna Chang-Chien, M. Walid Qoronfleh, David M. Ojcius, Musthafa Mohamed Essa

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Boswellia trees, found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia, are the source of frankincense oil. Since antiquity, frankincense has been traded as a precious commodity, but it has also been used for the treatment of chronic disease, inflammation, oral health, and microbial infection. More recently, the bioactive components of Boswellia trees have been identified and characterized for their effects on cancer, microbial infection (especially infection by oral pathogens), and inflammation. Most studies have focused on cell lines, but more recent research has also investigated effects in animal models of disease. As natural products are considered to …

Recent Graduates’ Perspectives On Undergraduate Kinesiology Programs In Canada, Kevin Cheng, Alexander Klas, Rebecca Ataman, Shannon Chou, Sep Pouresa

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Background: Kinesiologists are a growing group of health professionals in Canada who can enter practice after completing undergraduate kinesiology programs. Unlike other health professional programs such as physiotherapy that have well-established curricula and extensive national accreditation standards, kinesiology programs vary considerably between institutions. The resultant disparities in kinesiology graduates’ entry-level skillsets, competencies, and confidence levels contribute to their uncertainty regarding their role in healthcare and the public’s underutilization of kinesiology services. Conclusions: As former kinesiology students, and as current kinesiologists and allied health professionals, we offer our perspective on how undergraduate kinesiology programs could change to respond to the needs …

Deutetrabenazine For The Treatment Of Chorea Associated With Huntington’S Disease, Harshit Gupta, Wil Perkins, Cain Stark, Sathya Kikkeri, Juyeon Kakazu, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

This is a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the use of Deutetrabenazine in treating chorea associated with Huntington’s disease. Unfortunately, treatment has been limited for many aspects of this neurodegenerative disease. The present investigation presents the background, evidence, and indications for the use Deutetrabenazine in the setting of Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is characterized by a variety of motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms with chorea being one of the more notable ones. Chorea is a movement disorder present in multiple neurologic diseases that causes involuntary and irregular muscle movements theorized to be stemming from high dopamine levels. Deutetrabenazine is …

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Pathophysiology, Differential Diagnosis, And Treatment Options, Andrew Han, Carver Montgomery, Alexandra Zamora, Emilie Winder, Adam M. Kaye, Caroline Carroll, Alfonzo Aquino, Juyeon Kakazu, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Purpose of Review
This is a comprehensive review of the most recent literature on glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN), a relatively rare form of neuropathic facial pain. It covers the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, and differential diagnosis given that glossopharyngeal neuralgia can often be confused with other facial pain syndromes. Finally, we extensively review recent findings regarding medical or conservative measures, minimally invasive, and surgical options for potentially treating and managing glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Recent Findings
An in-depth analysis of the recent literature indicates that glossopharyngeal neuralgia is not only rare but its etiology and pathophysiology are complex and are often secondary to …

17Β-Estradiol Treatment Improves Acetylcholine-Induced Relaxation Of Mesenteric Arteries In Ovariectomized Uc Davis Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats In Prediabetic State, Md Rahatullah Razan, Farjana Akther, Rifat Ara Islam, James L. Graham, Kimber L. Stanhope, Peter J. Havel, Roshanak Rahimian

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

We recently reported sex differences in mesenteric arterial function of the UC Davis type-2 diabetes mellitus (UCD-T2DM) rats as early as the prediabetic state. We reported that mesenteric arteries (MA) from prediabetic male rats exhibited a greater impairment compared to that in prediabetic females. However, when females became diabetic, they exhibited a greater vascular dysfunction than males. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the female sex hormone, estrogen preserves mesenteric arterial vasorelaxation in UCD-T2DM female rats at an early prediabetic state. Age-matched female Sprague Dawley and prediabetic (PD) UCD-T2DM rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and subcutaneously implanted …

Alternative Options For Complex, Recurrent Pain States Using Cannabinoids, Psilocybin, And Ketamine: A Narrative Review Of Clinical Evidence, Amber N. Edinoff, Juliana M. Fort, Christina Singh, Sarah E. Wagner, Jessica R. Rodriguez, Catherine A. Johnson, Elyse M. Cornett, Kevin S. Murnane, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

With emerging information about the potential for morbidity and reduced life expectancy with long-term use of opioids, it is logical to evaluate nonopioid analgesic treatments to manage pain states. Combinations of drugs can provide additive and/or synergistic effects that can benefit the management of pain states. In this regard, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) modulate nociceptive signals and have been studied for chronic pain treatment. Psilocybin, commonly known as "magic mushrooms", works at the serotonin receptor, 5-HT. Psilocybin has been found in current studies to help with migraines since it has a tryptamine structure and works similarly to triptans. Psilocybin …

The Possible Application Of Ketamine In The Treatment Of Depression In Alzheimer's Disease, Islam Mohammad Shehata, Waniyah Masood, Nouran Nemr, Alexandra Anderson, Kamal Bhusal, Amber N. Edinoff, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Depression is a leading cause of disability globally, with a prevalence of 3.8% among the whole population, 5% of the adult population, and 5.7% of the elderly population over 60 years of age. There is evidence that depression is linked to certain neurodegenerative diseases, one being Alzheimer's disease (AD). The efficacy of conventional antidepressants to treat depression in AD is conflicting, especially regarding selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). A recent systemic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials including fourteen antidepressant medications showed no high efficacy in treating AD patients' symptoms. However, ketamine, a nonselective N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, …

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy-Related Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality: A Comprehensive Review, Amber N. Edinoff, Emily D. Ellis, Laura M. Nussdorf, Taylor W. Hill, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that exists at the more extreme end of a spectrum of diseases, and significantly affects daily functioning. Cardiovascular adverse effects of antipsychotic medications are well known, and include changes in blood pressure and arrhythmias. Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death worldwide, and antipsychotic medications are associated with numerous cardiac side effects. A possible link exists between antipsychotic medications and sudden cardiac death. Common prescribing patterns that may influence cardiovascular events include the use of multiple antipsychotics and/or additional drugs commonly prescribed to patients on antipsychotics. The results of this review reflect an …

Naltrexone Implant For Opioid Use Disorder, Amber N. Edinoff, Catherine A. Nix, Claudia V. Orellana, Samantha M. Stpierre, Erin A. Crane, Blaine T. Bulloch, Elyse M. Cornett, Rachel L. Kozinn, Adam M. Kaye, Kevin S. Murnane, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

The continued rise in the availability of illicit opioids and opioid-related deaths in the United States has left physicians, researchers, and lawmakers desperate for solutions to this ongoing epidemic. The research into therapeutic options for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) began with the introduction of methadone in the 1960s. The approval of oral naltrexone initially showed much promise, as the drug was observed to be highly potent in antagonizing the effects of opioids while producing no opioid agonist effects of its own and having a favorable side effect profile. Patients that routinely take their naltrexone reported fewer days …

Oxytocin, A Novel Treatment For Methamphetamine Use Disorder, Amber N. Edinoff, Elliot Thompson, Chandler E. Merriman, Mark R. Alvarez, E. Saunders Alpaugh, Elyse M. Cornett, Kevin S. Murnane, Rachel L. Kozinn, Mila Shah-Bruce, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

The treatment of substance abuse with oxytocin is a novel approach to a challenging public health issue that continues to contribute to a growing economic cost for societies worldwide. Methamphetamine addiction is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and despite advances in understanding the neurobiology of methamphetamine addiction, treatment options are limited. There are no medications that the Food and Drug Administration currently approves for stimulant use disorder. Off-label use of therapies for stimulant misuse include antidepressants, anxiolytics, and milder stimulants as replacement agents. Due to the shortcomings of these attempts to treat a complicated psychiatric disorder, recent …

Aducanumab, A Novel Anti-Amyloid Monoclonal Antibody, For The Treatment Of Alzheimer’S Disease: A Comprehensive Review, Hannah W. Haddad, Garett W. Malone, Nicholas J. Comardelle, Arielle E. Degueure, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia affecting millions of individuals, including family members who often take on the role as caregiver. This debilitating disease reportedly consumes 8% of the total United States healthcare expenditure, with medical and nursing outlays accounting for an estimated $290 billion. Cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists have historically been the most widely used pharmacologic therapies for patients with AD, however, these drugs are not curative. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, presentation, and current treatment of AD followed by the role of the novel monoclonal antibody, aducanumab, in treatment …

Know Thyself: A Cultural Humility Framework For Diabetes Education For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Queer (Lgtbq) Individuals, Katie Savin, Theresa Garnero

All Faculty Scholarship

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community is a diverse and vulnerable population that, aware or not, diabetes care and education specialists encounter on a regular basis. According to Smith and Gates’s analysis of the 2000 United States Census Data, gay and lesbian families live in 99.3 percent of all counties in the United States, which is likely an undercount. In Northern California, where LGBTQ visibility is better than in many places in our nation, it’s astounding to hear some colleagues comment that they only have heterosexual patients. You can’t “tell” who belongs to this group just by …

Bremelanotide For Treatment Of Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire, Amber N. Edinoff, Nicole M. Sanders, Kyle B. Lewis, Tucker L. Apgar, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a persistent deficiency or absence of sexual fantasies and desire resulting in significant distress or interpersonal difficulty. Women with this disorder may display a lack of motivation for sexual activity, reduced responsiveness to erotic cues, a loss of interest during sexual activity, and avoidance of situations that could lead to sexual activity. The pathophysiology of HSDD is thought to be centered around inhibitory and excitatory hormones, neurotransmitters, and specific brain anatomy. Due to the multifactorial nature of HSDD, treatment can be complex and must attempt to target the biological and psychosocial aspects of the …

Antipsychotic Use In Pregnancy: Patient Mental Health Challenges, Teratogenicity, Pregnancy Complications, And Postnatal Risks, Amber N. Edinoff, Niroshan Sathivadivel, Shawn E. Mcneil, Austin I. Ly, Jaeyeon Kweon, Neil Kelkar, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Pregnant women constitute a vulnerable population, with 25.3% of pregnant women classified as suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Since childbearing age typically aligns with the onset of mental health disorders, it is of utmost importance to consider the effects that antipsychotic drugs have on pregnant women and their developing fetus. However, the induction of pharmacological treatment during pregnancy may pose significant risks to the developing fetus. Antipsychotics are typically introduced when the nonpharmacologic approaches fail to produce desired effects or when the risks outweigh the benefits from continuing without treatment or the risks from exposing the fetus to medication. Early …

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Amber N. Edinoff, Tanner L. Hegefeld, Murray Petersen, James C. Patterson, Christopher Yossi, Jacob Slizewski, Ashley Osumi, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Jessica S. Kaye, Vijayakumar Javalkar, Omar Viswanath, Ivan Urits, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes significant functional impairment and is related to altered stress response and reinforced learned fear behavior. PTSD has been found to impact three functional networks in the brain: default mode, executive control, and salience. The executive control network includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and lateral PPC. The salience network involves the anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and amygdala. This latter network has been found to have increased functional connectivity in PTSD. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a technique used in treating PTSD and involves stimulating specific portions of the brain …

Combination Olanzapine And Samidorphan For The Management Of Schizophrenia And Bipolar 1 Disorder In Adults: A Narrative Review, Hannah W. Haddad, Elena Boardman, Brooke Williams, Rama Mouhaffel, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychotic disorder characterized by positive symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thoughts, and negative symptoms like lack of effect or motivation. Bipolar 1 disorder (B1D) is a psychiatric illness characterized by recurrent manic episodes in alternation with depressive episodes and interspersed periods of euthymia, ultimately resulting in psychological distress and impairment of daily functioning. Effective treatments are needed for both schizophrenia and B1D to reach the treatment goals of reducing the debilitating symptomology, improving social functioning and quality of life, and increasing the chances of recovery and more favorable long-term outcomes. To date, olanzapine is …

Opicapone, A Novel Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase Inhibitor, For Treatment Of Parkinson's Disease "Off" Episodes, Amnon A. Berger, Ariel Winnick, Jonathan Izygon, Binil M. Jacob, Jessica S. Kaye, Rachel J. Kaye, Elisa E. Neuchat, Adam M. Kaye, Edward S. Alpaugh, Elyse M. Cornett, Andrew H. Han, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of disability. It causes significant morbidity and disability through a plethora of symptoms, including movement disorders, sleep disturbances, and cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. The traditional pathogenesis theory of PD involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Classically, treatment is pursued with an assortment of medications that are directed at overcoming this deficiency with levodopa being central to most treatment plans. Patients taking levodopa tend to experience "off episodes" with decreasing medication levels, causing large fluctuations in their symptoms. These off episodes are disturbing and …

Pitolisant, A Novel Histamine-3 Receptor Competitive Antagonist, And Inverse Agonist, In The Treatment Of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness In Adult Patients With Narcolepsy, Noeen Sarfraz, David Okuampa, Hannah Hansen, Mark R. Alvarez, Elyse M. Cornett, Juyeon Kakazu, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Narcolepsy is a debilitating sleep disorder that presents with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy, which is a sudden paralysis of muscle tone triggered by strong emotions such as laughing. It is also associated with many other disorders, including psychiatric disorders, neurologic illnesses, and medication side effects. Common causes of delayed and incorrect diagnoses of these conditions include lack of physician familiarity with narcolepsy symptoms and comorbidities which mask narcolepsy signs and symptoms. Current pharmacologic therapies include Modafinil and Armodafinil for EDS and sodium oxybate for cataplexy. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, presentation, treatment of narcolepsy, and …

Buprenorphine And Its Formulations: A Comprehensive Review., Salomon Poliwoda, Nazir Noor, Jack S. Jenkins, Cain W. Stark, Mattie Steib, Jamal Hasoon, Giustino Varrassi, Ivan Urits, Omar Viswanath, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Buprenorphine, a novel long-acting analgesic, was developed with the intention of two purposes: analgesia and opioid use disorder. Regarding its pharmacodynamics, it is a partial agonist at mu receptors, an inverse agonist at kappa receptors, and an antagonist at delta receptors. For the purpose of analgesia, three formulations of buprenorphine were developed: IV/IM injectable formulation (Buprenex®), transdermal patch formulation (Butrans®), and buccal film formulation (Belbuca®). Related to opioid dependence, the formulations developed were subcutaneous extended release (Sublocade®), subdermal implant (Probuphine®), and sublingual tablets (Subutex®). Lastly, in order to avoid misuse of buprenorphine for opioid dependence, two combination formulations paired with …

Rimegepant For The Treatment Of Migraine., Amnon A. Berger, Ariel Winnick, Austin H. Carroll, Alexandra Welschmeyer, Nathan Li, Marc Colon, Antonella Paladini, Giovanni F. Ramírez, Jamal Hasoon, Elyse M. Cornett, Jaehong Song, Giustino Varrassi, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye, Latha Ganti

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Migraine is a common form of primary headache, affecting up to 1 in every 6 Americans. The pathophysiology is an intricate interplay of genetic factors and environmental influence and is still being elucidated in ongoing studies. The trigeminovascular system is now known to have a significant role in the initiation of migraines, including the release of pain mediators such as CGRP and substance P. Traditional treatment of migraine is usually divided into acute and preventive treatment. Acute therapy includes non-specific therapy, such as NSAIDs and other analgesics, which may provide relief in mild to moderate migraines. 5-HT1 agonists may provide …