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February 26, 2025 – A new preliminary study suggests that zonisamide, a drug commonly used to treat seizures, may help reduce migraine attacks in children and teenagers. The findings, released today, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 77th Annual Meeting, scheduled to take place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.
“Migraine disease is debilitating and can lead to kids having to miss school and other activities,” said Dr. Anisa Kelley of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “Currently, there is only one FDA-approved migraine preventative medication for this age group. Our results are encouraging, showing zonisamide may be another option for reducing migraine attacks.”
Study Findings
The research team reviewed health records of 256 children and teens diagnosed with migraine and prescribed zonisamide as a preventive treatment. Among them, 28% had difficult-to-treat migraine, defined as having migraine disease unsuccessfully treated with two or more previous medications.
Researchers documented the number of headache days per month for each participant before and after starting zonisamide. The participants were divided into three subgroups based on how long they took the medication before a follow-up visit:
- First group: Follow-up within the first month.
- Second group: Follow-up within two to six months.
- Third group: Follow-up after six months.
Overall, the median number of headache days per month dropped from 18 to six at the first follow-up visit. The largest reduction was seen in the group that had a follow-up visit within two to six months, with a median decrease of six headache days per month. The data also suggested that zonisamide was effective for both those with difficult-to-treat migraine and those without.
Future Research Needed
While these findings are promising, Kelley cautioned that further research is required. “It’s very exciting that we may have an effective way to treat difficult migraine disease in children and teens. However, our study did have limitations,” she said. “For instance, our study did not compare people taking the medication to people who did not take the medication. Future studies are needed with control groups to confirm our results.”
Disclaimer
This study does not prove that zonisamide reduces migraine days; it only shows an association. Parents and caregivers should consult a healthcare professional before considering any changes to their child’s migraine treatment plan.
Provided by the American Academy of Neurology.
