SHDM16002U Mechanisms and Comorbidities of Headache and Facial Pain

Volume 2024/2025
Education
Content

The course covers the following topics:

  • Genetics of headache disorders

  • Physiology and the disease mechanisms of:

    - migraine headaches,

    - tension-type headaches,

    - cluster headaches and other trigeminal autonomic headaches.

    - medication overuse headache

    - idiopathic intracranial hypo- and hypertension

    - post traumatic headache

    - other secondary headaches

    - trigeminal neuralgia and other cranial neuralgias.

  • Comorbidity and disease interaction.

  • Experimental human and animal models for headache and facial pain.   

This course will focus on complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying headache and facial pain disorders, and the role of comorbidities in neurobiology or headache disorders.

We will cover the most important theories / hypotheses, discovery in genetics, strengths and limitations of animal and human studies, animal models of secondary headaches. The questions addressed will include: What can we learn from headache genetics? What have we learned from headache provocation studies in patients? Can we use brain imaging to discover specific biomarkers or headache disorders? What do we know about drugs of action or currently available drugs? What is pathophysiological rationale for using neurostimulation in the treatment of headache disorders? What are the molecular mechanisms of mild head injury and medication?

The course is organized as a combination of face-face lectures, group work, case studies, and journal clubs provided and supervised by the world leading specialists in the field. As the Master Program is planned as a part time study, a significant part of the work load is required to be carried out as home work with blended learning and the reading of literature in between the modules. A personal mentor will be appointed to each student and there will be provided possibilities for platform based discussion forums between the students and in relation to their mentors.

Learning Outcome

On completion of the course, the participants should be able to:

Knowledge:

  • gain detailed insights into the existing knowledge about underlying genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms of primary and secondary disorders as well as facial pain.
  • acquire knowledge about the mechanisms underlying the most common comorbid conditions for headache disorders and their relevance to disease development and treatment.
  • acquire knowledge about existing in vitro and in vivo experimental headache models.

 

Skills:

  • learn to understand, discuss and critically assess the scientific literature in the area of ​​genetics and disease mechanisms.
  • communicate this knowledge to patients and their families, as well as to their own colleagues, based on a well-balanced scientific background.
  • develop a basis for understanding the examination and treatment strategies through insight into disease mechanisms and comorbidity

 

Competencies:

  • acquire the prerequisites for participating in or initiating new scientific investigations of disease mechanisms and treatment
  • optimize the treatment process and contribute to a critical assessment of new treatment strategies on a scientific basis.

See Literature List in Absalon

Applicants must have master’s or bachelor’s degree within Pharmacy, Medicine, Psychology, Public Health, Nursing, Physical Therapy or the equivalent from a university in or outside of Denmark.
The teaching methods will include a combination of interactive lectures, group exercises, case studies, journal clubs, essay and computer-based (electronic) learning exercises (WIKIs). Using Absalon for learning materials will allow team work for reading, interpreting and discussing selected scientific articles and cases.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 65
  • Exercises
  • 5
  • E-Learning
  • 60
  • Study Groups
  • 15
  • Guidance
  • 5
  • Exam
  • 20
  • Total
  • 200
Oral
Collective
Credit
7.5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, 24 hours
Type of assessment details
The examination consists of a set of multiple choice questions where arguments for the replies are required. Furthermore a short essay (2 pages) about a specific selected topic covered during the module is required.
The essay should illustrate an insight into the relevant pathophysiological mechanisms and the clinical correlate.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Exam period

See  exam schedule.

Re-exam

A re-examination will be possible if the student fails the first examination.

The exam form for the reexam is the same as the ordinary exam. See dates in the exam schedule.

 

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student must be able to:

Knowledge:

  • demonstrate a very detailed insight into genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms of primary and secondary disorders as well as facial pain.
  • discuss the mechanisms underlying the most common comorbid conditions for headache disorders and their relevance to disease development and treatment.
  • distinguish between existing in vitro and in vivo experimental headache models.

 

Skills:

  • understand and discuss the scientific literature in the area of ​​genetics and disease mechanisms in a constructive and comprehensive way.
  • communicate this knowledge in an optimal way to patients and their families, as well as to their own colleagues and sufficiently include the scientific background.
  • Fully understand and apply optimal examination and treatment through detailed insight into disease mechanisms and comorbidity

 

Competencies:

  • critically and constructively demonstrate the prerequisites for participation and initiation of new scientific investigations of disease mechanisms and treatment
  • comprehensively optimized and balanced the treatment process and critically assessed new treatment strategies.