Attendees at the Neurological Association of NZ’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Palmerston North on November 28-29th were treated to a buffet of presentations about headache and migraine.
Professor Peter Goadsby, whose work on the mechanisms of migraine led to the revolution of new migraine treatments targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), gave two keynote presentations on migraine and cluster headache (and other rare primary headache disorders). Professor Debbie Hay, whose lab in Dunedin does world-leading research on CGRP and its receptors, gave a deep dive into the complex pharmacology of these structures. Headache specialists Dr Rosamund Hill and Dr Ray Bose, talked about post-traumatic headache and its relationship to migraine, management strategies and how to access treatment from ACC. Dr Fiona Imlach from Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand shared her own migraine journey and presented results from the Migraine in Aotearoa NZ survey.
In the room were neurologists and trainees from throughout New Zealand, now all updated about the challenges and possibilities of migraine treatment in 2024.
The event was organised by Dr Calvin Chan, headache specialist in Palmerston North. Dr Chan, Professor Goadsby and Professor Hay also gave talks about migraine in Auckland on 30 November in a public event. A recording of this will be made available.
