Research

Studies | Past Research | Patient Registry

Clusterbusters, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Robert Wold to begin research for cluster headaches and work with labs to develop new and improved treatment options for the patient community. The first research goal was to study psilocybin mushrooms as a cluster headache treatment. We were thrilled to work with Harvard in the early 2000s on psychedelic research, which showed how useful these compounds could be in decreasing not only attack frequency but the intensity of the pain, allowing chronic patients to become episodic and get up to two years or more of pain-free time. We’ve since worked with Yale and the Hannover Medical School in Germany to continue that research, but we’ve branched out to include work with the Veteran’s Administration, Children’s Hospital, and other institutions on the various impacts of cluster headaches.

Much of our research and collaboration efforts have been completed and published, which can be viewed in the Past Research section. The mission of Clusterbusters continues to focus on research heavily and has branched out since its inception to include advocacy and education. With the help of Dr. Larry Schor at the University of West Georgia, we were able to complete the largest survey ever conducted to establish the severity and burden of cluster headaches.

We have many projects with ongoing research that are broken into sections for open and closed trials and surveys. These areas of study are essential to cluster headaches for countless reasons, mainly because the medical community largely ignored this disease for decades. Clusterbusters and cluster headache patient advocates have helped move this condition to the forefront of headache research, giving hope to those who don’t respond to current treatment options for future pain relief.

Patients are an essential part of the equation when it comes to research. Clusterbuster’s primary focus has been to ensure our voices are heard, and that valid treatments are not ignored but studied thoroughly. Learn more about our partnerships and affiliations with educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.

How to Get Involved with Cluster Headache Research

If you are an episodic or chronic cluster headache patient and wish to get involved with ongoing research, we encourage you to sign up on our Patient Registry. The patient registry allows us to connect patients with current research and trials in your area, and that includes worldwide study. We’ve had great success filling spots for clinical trials in the past, including the CGRP antibody trials that led to the FDA-approval for Emgality®. Emgality® is the first-ever medication explicitly approved for episodic cluster headaches. ClinicalTrials.Gov is an excellent resource that allows you to search for recruiting studies specifically for your condition and has information on how to contact those in charge of the research. Another way to get involved with research into this debilitating condition is to donate directly to research through Clusterbusters.

Doctors, scientists, psychologists, and any others interested in researching cluster headaches may contact us through the Contact Form or at info@clusterbusters.org.

Mailing List

Join our Mailing List to be informed of the latest in cluster headache research.

Canadian residents interested in more resources for cluster headache sign up here. »