The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Headache Society (AHS) have joined forces for the first time to co-fund an Innovative Project Award, marking a significant step in understanding the relationship between migraine, other headache disorders, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. The award provides $200,000 over two years to support high-risk, high-reward research that could lead to new prevention strategies for stroke and heart disease in people with migraines.
The co-funded award for 2026 was granted to Juliana Navia Pelaez, Ph.D., an assistant professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine, for her project titled “Neurogenic Priming of Perivascular Macrophages by Migraine-Associated Peptides Increases Stroke Risk.” Pelaez’s research investigates whether repeated migraine attacks overactivate the brain’s immune cells that guard blood vessels, potentially weakening them and increasing stroke risk. “If migraines happen over and over, these immune cells might stay ‘on’ for too long. When this happens, they might accidentally make the blood vessels weaker,” Pelaez explained. “If the vessels get weaker, the brain might have a harder time protecting itself from a stroke.” Her team will examine which signals during a migraine activate these immune cells and how they respond after a stroke, aiming to identify new ways to prevent strokes in chronic migraine sufferers.
In addition to Pelaez’s project, the AHA has funded three other Innovative Project Awards to explore the intersection of headache disorders and cerebrovascular health. Andrea M. Harriott, M.D., Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, will study how cortical spreading depolarizations affect blood vessel function and collateral remodeling in migraine with aura, which is linked to stroke and heart attack. Matthew T. Bender, M.D., of the University of Rochester, will develop a novel MRI method to examine the brain’s waste removal system and blood flow in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a headache disorder primarily affecting overweight women of childbearing age. Neil Dani, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, will investigate the role of the choroid plexus in obesity-related migraines, testing whether existing drugs like acetazolamide can reduce inflammation and pain signaling.
These projects collectively represent a commitment to advancing brain health research. Since 1949, the AHA has funded more than $6.3 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research, making it the largest non-profit, non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S. This funding has led to lifesaving discoveries that impact millions worldwide.
The collaboration between the AHA and AHS underscores the growing recognition of the mind-body connection, particularly how migraines and headaches may influence cardiovascular health. For patients with chronic migraines, these studies could lead to targeted therapies that reduce stroke risk and improve quality of life. For the medical community, the findings may reshape treatment guidelines and spur further research into the shared mechanisms of neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
As the AHA celebrates its century-long mission to ensure equitable health, this partnership exemplifies its ongoing dedication to innovative science. More information about the AHA’s research programs and resources can be found at heart.org and stroke.org, while details about the American Headache Society are available at americanheadachesociety.org. The original release was distributed via www.newmediawire.com.
