Impel NeuroPharma has been working on a campaign focused on migraines. It is called Reroute Migraine Relief, and it was built in coordination with an artist who suffers from migraines himself, Ed Fairburn. Fairburn has created topography art which demonstrates how complex the condition is, and how it impacts both the mind and the body.

He created faces from street maps to demonstrate how complicated this condition can be and how difficult it can be for each patient to find a unique care regimen which brings them relief.

This campaign works to bring awareness to migraines generally, but it also is specifically focused on the gut-brain connection. This is a piece which is often not addressed in migraine discussions, despite the fact that 73% of patients say that they experience nausea and 29% have vomiting episodes.

The Gut-Brain Connection

A new study, published by Impel, has documented that migraines can be associated with a plethora of gastrointestinal conditions including gastroparesis as well as cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS).

The Reroute Migraine Relief campaign is working to bring awareness to this connection which has been understudied and under-discussed.

It also specifically brings attention to a new method of delivery for migraine treatment. Impel is currently working toward FDA approval for this novel device which provides the treatment via a nasal spray. This allows vital medication (dihydroergotamine) to be delivered without going through the gastrointestinal system in the standard way.

The delivery method is called Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD), and it is also being used in studies for Parkinson’s disease and acute agitation.

You can read more about this campaign and the gut-brain connection in migraine patients here. The hope is that increased focus on this connection will ultimately help to improve patient care and limit the incidence of comorbidities such as gastroparesis and CVS.