The American Heart Association and the American Headache Society have joined forces for the first time to co-fund an Innovative Project Award, marking a significant step in understanding the relationship between migraine and cardiovascular health. The award provides $200,000 over two years to support high-risk, high-reward research that could lead to new ways to prevent stroke and other cardiovascular events in people with migraine.
The co-funded award for 2026 goes to Juliana Navia Pelaez, Ph.D., an assistant professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine, for her project "Neurogenic Priming of Perivascular Macrophages by Migraine-Associated Peptides Increases Stroke Risk." Pelaez's research investigates whether repeated migraine attacks cause the brain's immune cells to become overactive, potentially weakening blood vessels 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 said. "If the vessels get weaker, the brain might have a harder time protecting itself from a stroke." Her work could lead to new strategies to prevent strokes in chronic migraine sufferers by calming these overactive cells or blocking the signals that trigger them.
In addition to the co-funded award, the American Heart Association has funded three other Innovative Project Awards for 2026, each addressing critical gaps in headache and cerebrovascular research. Andrea M. Harriott, M.D., Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, will study how cortical spreading depolarizations—a mechanism of migraine with aura—affect blood vessels in the brain over time. Matthew T. Bender, M.D., of the University of Rochester, will develop a novel MRI method to examine the brain's waste removal system in idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a headache disorder that predominantly affects overweight women of childbearing age. Neil Dani, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, will explore the role of the choroid plexus in obesity-related migraines, testing whether existing drugs can reduce inflammation and pain signaling.
These projects collectively represent a major investment in understanding the heart-brain connection. The American Heart Association has now funded more than $6.3 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research since 1949, making it the largest non-profit, non-government supporter of such research in the U.S. The collaboration with the American Headache Society, whose mission is to improve the care of people with headache disorders, underscores the growing recognition that migraine is not just a neurological issue but one with significant cardiovascular implications.
For millions of Americans who suffer from migraines, this research offers hope for new treatments and preventive measures. The findings could also lead to better screening and management strategies for those at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. As Pelaez noted, if her hypothesis is correct, "this could help scientists find new ways to prevent strokes in people with chronic migraine." The partnership between these two leading health organizations signals a promising future for integrated research that addresses the complex interplay between the brain and the heart.
For more information, visit heart.org or americanheadachesociety.org. The original release is available at www.newmediawire.com.
