Publications:

"Managing Migraine in the Pregnant Patient," by Loretta Mueller, DO, assistant professor, Clinical Family Medicine, was in The Female Patient (OB/GYN ed.), Vol. 25, No. 1, January 2000.

Professional Activities:

R. Michael Gallagher, DO, professor, Family Medicine and vice dean, SOM, presented "Clinical Trials in Headache" at the 13th Annual Practicing Physician's Approach to the Difficult Headache Patient course in Rancho Mirage, CA. Dr. Gallagher also presented "Differential Headache and Atypical Facial Pain" at the 2000 mid-winter conference of the Maine Osteopathic Association in Portland.

Grants:

Subhasis Biswas, PhD, professor, Molecular Biology, received a four-year, $1,055.841 grant from the NIH/Institute of General Medical Sciences to study "Mechanism of DNA-Protein Interaction in DNA Replication."

Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD, assistant professor, Molecular Biology, received a four-year, $810,653 grant from the NIH/National Eye Institute to study "Membrane Fusion in Retinal Rod Outer Segments." Dr. Boesze-Battaglia, in conjunction with Richard Schimmel, PhD, associate dean, GSBS, Stratford, also received a three-year, $147,258 grant-in-aid from the American Heart Association Consortium to study "Cholesterol Organization: A Determinant of Platelet Function."

Sal Caradonna, PhD, chair, Molecular Biology, received a five-year, $1,187,117 grant from NIH-National Cancer Institute to study "Post-translational Mechanisms in Uracil-DNA Repair." The co-investigator is Susan Muller-Weeks, PhD, assistant professor, Molecular Biology.

Mary Crivellone, PhD, assistant professor, Molecular Biology, received a five-year, $150,000 grant from the American Heart Association-Heritage Affiliate to study "Chaperone-Assisted Assembly of Complex III of the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain."

Research News

RELIEF FOR MIGRAINE HEADACHE SUFFERERS

    Internationally recognized headache researcher R. Michael Gallagher, DO, of UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM), was principal investigator of a study that identified a new medication - zolmitriptan - that appears to provide more rapid and longer pain relief for migraine headache sufferers than the most commonly prescribed medication, sumatriptan.

    The randomized, double-blind study, conducted at SOM's University Headache Center and 61 research centers around the country, involved more than 1,000 patients. Zolmitriptan, known as ZOMIG, is produced by AstraZeneca of Wilmington, DE. The findings were published in the February, 2000 issue of Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.

    "For migraine patients, the most important characteristic of pain medication is that it reduces discomfort and provides consistent relief. This study found significant differences between the two medications in terms of how quickly they worked and the duration of pain relief," Gallagher said.

    A migraine headache is a chronic medical condition affecting more than 28 million Americans. No conclusive evidence exists as to the exact causes of migraines. However, research suggests that the cerebral cortex of the brain is hyperexcitable, setting off biological changes that result in a migraine.

    Another recent study by the National Headache Foundation revealed that 57 percent of migraine sufferers still rely on over-the-counter medications exclusively. Moreover, the study found that people with migraines are underdiagnosed and undertreated in the U.S. despite the availability of prescription drugs known as triptans.

    The SOM-led study showed that patients who took a 2.5 milligram dose of zolmitriptan at the onset of a migraine received faster and more consistent pain relief after two hours than those who took a 50 milligram dose of sumatriptan. In addition, pain relief was continuous for up to 24 hours for patients who used zolmitriptan. Both medications are available only by prescription.

    Gallagher is a frequent speaker at international headache conferences, as well as principal author and editor of the medical textbook, "Drug Treatment for Headaches," the first reference dedicated to the pharmacologic treatment of headaches.

Research News

OSTEOPATHIC MANIPULATION FOR HEADACHE RELIEF

    Researchers at UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford are studying whether osteopathic manipulation is a viable alternative to prescribing pain medications for people who suffer from chronic tension headaches. Tension-type headaches affect 90 percent of the population in the U.S., and are caused by the tightening of muscles in the back of the neck and scalp.

    "Although there is anecdotal evidence that osteopathic manipulation can relieve pain caused by tension headaches, there is no scientific proof," says Richard T. Jermyn, DO, director of the University Back Pain Center and principal investigator of the study. "The purpose of this study is to determine if manipulation is as effective as medications. We believe that muscle tension can result from a spinal dysfunction, and osteopathic manipulation can correct this dysfunction."

    Osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) is a technique used by osteopathic physicians, in which they use their hands to examine a patient's musculoskeletal system and try to help diagnose and treat injury and illness. Osteopathic manipulation is also commonly used to realign a patient's spine to relieve neck pain.

    There are two general classifications of tension-type headaches: an episodic headache, which is usually triggered by environmental or internal stress; and a chronic headache, which can last for days with varying levels of pain. Episodic headaches usually disappear with the use of over-the-counter analgesics, or withdrawal from the source of stress and a relatively brief period of relaxation. Chronic headaches can be identified by some soreness of the skull, which feels like a constricting head band or the tightening of a vise. Many of these patients complain of early or frequent awakenings, sometimes a sign of underlying depression. The primary drugs of choice for this type of headache are amitriptyline or other tricyclic antidepressants.

    "Traditionally, medications are used to treat tension-type headaches. Some are effective, but often produce side effects such as nausea, vomiting, intestinal discomfort and rebound headaches," says R. Michael Gallagher, DO, director of the University Headache Center and co-investigator of the study. "Chronic tension headache patients also tend to overuse over-the-counter medications in search of the 'perfect' medication."

    The study, conducted jointly by the medical school's University Headache Center and the University Back Pain Center, is looking to enroll 60 patients. The study will cover approximately eight weeks: four weeks of monitoring medications and four weeks of manipulation and medications.

Book Review

LET'S TALK ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOU! AN EDUCATIONAL BOOK ABOUT BODY SAFETY
by Lori Stauffer, PhD, and Esther Deblinger, PhD Hope for Families, Inc.

Childhood sexual abuse affects boys and girls of all ages, religions, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. There is considerable evidence that when a child tells about sexual abuse and has a supportive family who gets the appropriate help, the chances of having significant and ongoing problems are greatly reduced.

This four-part handbook is intended to help children ages 5 to 10 to develop the confidence and skills to respond effectively to potentially abusive situations and be able to tell about the experience as soon as possible. The book teaches children how to talk about their bodies by giving them the correct names for different body parts, explores "okay" and "not okay" touching, and explains what to do about the "not okay" touching.

The material is presented in a gentle, step-by-step fashion so children can absorb it slowly. Parents are encouraged to review the book before reading it with their children.

Deblinger is an associate professor of psychiatry at UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM). She also serves as the clinical director of the Center for Children's Support, a multidisciplinary program of SOM that provides medical and mental health services for children who have suffered abuse. Stauffer is the founder and president of Hope for Families, Inc., a company that produces educational materials and presentations regarding sexual abuse and other issues that can impact families. She is also a part-time faculty instructor at the Center for Children's Support.