Norwegian scientists have developed an app that uses AI to control stress, and thereby migraine headaches.

People suffering from chronic headaches and migraines face a painful dilemma. Choose between the pain or the side effects of the medications to treat the pain. Statistically, about one in seven people are prone to migraine and one in 100 suffer from chronic headaches. However, a daily training session of just 10 minutes with an AI-powered app developed by Norwegian scientists can dramatically reduce headaches. (innovationorigins.com)

Using AI to control stress and migraine attacks

According to Alexander Olsen of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the primary cause of migraine attacks is usually a disturbance in the patient’s autonomous nervous system due to stress.

If the patient can observe the physiological changes in their body due to stress, they can condition themselves to control these impulses.

“When the nervous system is activated, a change in heart rate, muscle tension, and body temperature reflects this. Usually, we don’t have direct access to these changes. By using wireless sensors to monitor them, a user can effectively train himself to control them,” says Olsen.

AI-enabled app

NTNU developed the app concept along with the Norwegian Migraine Center at St. Olavs University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway.

Nordic Brain Tech built the AI-powered app. Physical sensors attached to the patient passed on physical processes and health data in real-time to the app on the user’s phone. The user is also responsible for creating a headache diary that records all details about their migraine medication.

Cathrine Ro Heuch of Nordic Brain Tech said the use of AI allowed the app to be customized according to the needs of the user.

The user should ideally conduct a 10-minute training session daily.

This artificial intelligence compares the information about the body’s signals with the migraine diary. It then provides the patient with feedback to optimize their training.

“We have also added a game element, which allows the user to score points with their training. The aim is that the app will eventually be able to predict the attacks as well as their duration and intensity and location,” says Ro Heuch.

Based on this, users can gradually learn to control the physical impulses and processes that trigger their migraines.

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