Given the current standards for registering clinical trials and that clinicaltrials.gov is the largest registry for clinical trials, we sought to assess the current landscape of nonpharmacologic (non-device) migraine treatment research, including intervention types, study design methods, and funding mechanisms.

Evidence-based nonpharmacologic migraine treatments are critical given their potential for excellent safety profiles and enduring benefits. Many people with migraine are interested in nonpharmacologic treatment options.

In June 2024, we downloaded all studies registered on clinicaltrials.gov with condition/disease of “migraine” and study start dates between December 2018-May 2024. A subset of studies with behavioral as the reported intervention/treatment was created. The subset was screened to only include nonpharmacologic (nondevice) studies. Descriptive statistics were conducted.

Under 10% (8.4%, 48/573) of registered migraine studies were nonpharmacologic (non-device) studies. The most common interventions included educational courses/training programs (25%, 12/48), mindfulness/mind-body skills acquisition (18.75%, 9/48), cognitive behavioral techniques (16.67%, 8/48), and lifestyle modifications (14.58%, 7/48). The most common primary outcomes were headache frequency (16/48, 33.33%), quality of life measurements (16/48, 33.33%), and feasibility (7/48, 14.58%). Median duration of the primary endpoint was 56±60 days. The forty-eight studies are being conducted by 39 principal investigators. Few studies (18.8%, 9/48) are funded by the National Institutes of Health. From 2019 to 2023, the number of new nonpharmacologic (non-device) studies registered per year increased (7 vs. 11, respectively).

Despite significant patient interest, few nonpharmacologic migraine studies are registered on clinicaltrials.gov and less than 20% are federally funded. However, many investigators are conducting research in this area, which is promising for headache medicine and people with migraine.