{
  "id": 3523966,
  "title": "New clues about the causes of severe headaches",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/new-clues-about-the-causes-of-severe-headaches",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T14:20:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-clues-severe-headaches.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Two new studies conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have shed new light on the potential genetic and environmental factors contributing to cluster headache, a rare neurological disorder characterized by severe and sudden attacks. In the first study, published in The Journal of Headache and Pain, researchers analyzed genetic risk factors identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and confirmed the relevance of seven genes previously associated with cluster headache. They found that several of these genes are expressed differently in individuals with the condition and are active in immune cells or linked to the body's inflammatory signaling pathways, suggesting that the immune system and inflammation may play a central role in the condition. The second study, published in Cephalalgia, investigated the impact of tobacco smoke exposure on gene regulation in people with cluster headache. The results showed that individuals with the condition had markers indicating increased exposure to heavy metals and other substances found in tobacco smoke, as well as changes in markers that regulate DNA methylation, a mechanism that influences gene activity. While the studies have limitations and require confirmation in larger studies, they provide important clues about the mechanisms behind cluster headache and the potential role of environmental factors such as tobacco smoke exposure.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}