Mechanism and Comorbidities of Headache and Facial Pain
Develop examination and treatment strategies through insight into disease mechanisms and comorbidity.
This course will focus on complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying headache and facial pain disorders, and the role of comorbidities in neurobiology of 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.
5 weeks of blended learning
The first 4 weeks is a part-time online course with online lessons, discussions and quizzes and self-study activities.
The fifth week is full-time, on campus lectures, discussions, group work, and exercises at University of Copenhagen, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
As the Master's programme 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 fora between the students and in relation to their mentors.
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
- posttraumatic headache and other secondary headaches
- trigeminal neuralgia and other cranial neuralgias.
- Comorbidity and disease interaction.
- Experimental human and animal models for headache and facial pain.
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 of headache disorders?
- What do we know about mechanisms of action of currently available drugs?
- What is pathophysiological rationale for using neurostimulation in the treatment of headache disorders?
- What are molecular mechanisms of mild head injury and medication overuse headache?
During the course, the participants will gain detailed insights into the existing knowledge about underlying genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms of primary and secondary headache disorders as well as facial pain.
Participants will acquire knowledge about the mechanisms underlying the most common comorbid conditions for headache disorders and their relevance to disease development and treatment. Moreover, participants will acquire knowledge about existing in vitro and in vivo experimental headache models.
Communication based on a well-balanced scientific background
Participants will learn to understand, discuss and critically assess the scientific literature in the area of genetics and disease mechanisms. They will learn to communicate this to patients and their families, as well as to their own colleagues, based on a well-balanced scientific background.
Furthermore, participants will be able to develop a basis for understanding the examination and treatment strategies through insight into disease mechanisms and comorbidity.
On completion of the course, the participants should have acquired the prerequisites for participating in or initiating new scientific investigations of disease mechanisms and treatment. Lastly, participants will be able to optimize the treatment process and contribute to a critical assessment of new treatment strategies on a scientific basis.
Continuing professional development for health care professionals working in the field of headaches
You must meet the following criteria to be admitted to this course:
- Hold a relevant bachelor degree or equivalent
- Have a minimum 2 years of relevant job experience
- Be proficient in English
Find detailed information about the current admission criteria.
This course is offered as a compulsory part of the Master of Headache Disorders.
Priority is given to students enrolled on Master of Headache Disorders. Once the enrolled students have been admitted to the course, the remaining seats are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Course details
Duration: | 5 weeks |
Dates: | 9 December 2024 - 10 January 2025 (E-learning) 13 - 17 January 2025 (Campus) |
Frequency: |
Only available every second year
|
Place: | University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark |
Course fee: |
EU/EEA citizens: 10,000 DKK
Non-EU/EEA citizens: 15,100 DKK |
Level and credit: | Master's course; 7.5 ECTS |
Examination: | Exam date |
Application deadline: |
14 October 2024
|
Admission: | To be admitted, you must meet the admission criteria for Master of Headache Disorders |
The opening of the application period is announced via the programme newsletter.
Download course curriculum