Immunology in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Headache Disorders

Headache disorders are among the most prevalent neurological conditions and represent a major contributor to global disability and healthcare burden. Despite progress in understanding their mechanisms, the biological underpinnings of many primary and secondary headache forms remain only partially understood.

Emerging evidence indicates that the immune system plays a pivotal role in the initiation and maintenance of headache pain. Neuroimmune interactions encompassing both peripheral and central immune responses appear to contribute to sensitization processes and pain chronification. A growing body of research highlights the involvement of cytokines, chemokines, immune cells and neuropeptides in diverse headache phenotypes, from migraine to trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and secondary headaches.

At the same time, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory therapies are reshaping our understanding of headache pathophysiology and opening new translational perspectives. Further insights into neuroimmunological mechanisms could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment strategies.

This Research Topic aims to advance knowledge on the immunological basis of headache disorders by gathering experimental, clinical and translational studies addressing immune-related pathways, biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions exploring:

• immune cell activation,

• cytokine and chemokine networks,

• neurovascular inflammation

• the impact of immunomodulatory or targeted biological treatments.

By integrating multidisciplinary evidence, this collection seeks to bridge basic immunology with clinical headache research, fostering new diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Headache, migraine, neuroinflammation, monoclonal antibodies, CGRP, PACAP

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.