Ana Recober, MD
Assistant Professor
Address
The University of Iowa
200 Hawkins Dr, 2 RCP
Iowa City IA 52242
Clinical specialty: Headache Medicine
Research Interests:
The focus of my laboratory is the study of the biological mechanisms underlying the progression from episodic to chronic migraine, a poorly understood phenomenon we frequently observe in the clinic. Multiple culprits have been implicated in this process, but little is known about the relevant cellular and molecular changes involved in this progression. Clarifying these links is crucial to discovering novel therapeutic targets aimed to preventing chronic migraines. I use behavioral, pharmacological, molecular and cellular techniques to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the link between migraine and two common conditions that are associated with chronic migraine, obesity and sleep disorders. My central hypothesis is that these disorders lead to chronic migraine by enhancing central sensitization in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis. I use animal models of these conditions to determine the role of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and several cytokines in the trigeminovascular pathway. In addition to these mechanistic studies, I am also studying the effects of childhood obesity in adults with migraine in the Muscatine Heart Study Cohort and I am exploring the effects of weight loss in migraine attack frequency and severity in humans.
Education:
- M.D. (1997): University of Málaga Medical School, Málaga, Spain
- Residency: Neurology (2000-2004): Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA
Fellowship:
- Headache Medicine (2005-2007) Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA
Certification:
- 1998,Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
- 2005, Iowa Board of Medical Examiners
- 2005, Iowa Controlled Substance DEA
- 2005, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
- 2010, United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties: Headache Medicine Certification
Honors and Awards:
- Richard W. Fincham Award to the graduating neurology resident who best exemplifies qualities of dedicated patient care and the highest level of collegiality to all.
University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (2004) - Young Investigator Award
6th International Symposium on the CGRP Family, La Jolla, CA (2007) - Training Grant in Pain Research
University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (2007-2009) - K08 – Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award
NIH/NINDS (2009-2014) - Harold Wolff-John Graham Award: An Award for Headache/Facial Pain Research
- American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada (2010)
Grants:
- 1K08NS066087-01; (PI: Recober); 10/2009 to 9/2014
NIH/NINDS Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award; $861,820
“Role of CGRP in the association between migraine and obesity”
This proposal seeks to study the role of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as a potential molecular link between migraine and obesity, by using molecular biology, immunohistochemistry and behavioral pharmacology. - Carver Collaborative Grant; (PIs: Russo, Kardon, Recober) 3/2010 to 2/2012; University of Iowa; $40,000; “Is the neuropeptide CGRP involved in the pathogenesis of photophobia in traumatic brain injury?”; This is a collaborative translational study with Drs. Andrew Russo and Randy Kardon. We will compare CGRP levels in saliva from veterans with mild traumatic brain injury and photophobia after exposure to a bright light with migraineurs and control subjects.
- (PI: Recober); 3/2008 to 5/2009; National Headache Foundation Grant; $16,000
“Development of a Potential Migraine Mouse Model: hRAMP1 transgenic mice”; The goal of this proposal is to study trigeminal nociception in a transgenic mouse that is sensitized to the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a central player in the pathophysiology of migraine. This study uses behavioral, pharmacological, molecular and neuroanatomical approaches. - (PI: Recober); 5/2008 to 4/2009; University of Iowa Clinical and Translational Science Program Pilot Grant; $50,000; “Role of obesity in chronic migraine”; The goal of this pilot study is to develop a useful model for mechanistic and therapeutic studies on the role of obesity in migraine. Plasma levels of CGRP, orofacial pain behavior, and activation of trigeminal neurons in obese and lean mice will be studied.
- Pending
R01 NS075599-01; (PI: Russo. Role: Co-investigator); 7//2011- 6/2016; NIH, NINDS; “CGRP-induced light aversion in a preclinical migraine model”
The major goal of this study will be to identify the subcortical neural regions responsible for CGRP-induced light aversion. A combined pharmacological and genetic strategy with genetically engineered mice will be used. In addition, the role of CGRP in mast cell induced light aversive behavior will be explored.
Professional Service
- Editor of Headache News of the American Headache Society
- Member of the Headache Online Editorial Board
- Add-hoc reviewer for Cephalalgia, Headache, and Pharmaceuticals.
- Faculty reviewer of Faculty of 1000 Medicine
- Mentor of the Carver College of Medicine Medical Scientist Teaching Program Clinical Connections.
- Mentor of the Carver College of Medicine chapter of the American Medical Women’s Association Mentorship Program.
- Mentor of the Carver College of Medicine Medical Summer Undergraduate Program.
- UI Department of Neurology Physician-Scientists Recruiting Committee
Professional Affiliations:
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Headache Society
- Society for Neuroscience
- National Headache Foundation
Lectures:
- Invited speaker, 4th Annual Neuroscience Nurses Conference, Coralville, Iowa, May 2007
- Invited speaker, “Studying Photophobia in a Potential Migraine Mouse Model”, The Inaugural Research Retreat of the Eye Interest Group of The University of Iowa, June 2008
- Invited speaker, “Migraine: developing potential mouse models”, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. May 2008
- Invited speaker, “Migraine: developing potential mouse models”, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. June 2008
- Invited speaker, “Role of CGRP in headache pain”, Headache Symposium at the University of Arizona in Tucson, November 9, 2009.
- Invited speaker, “Chronic headaches”, University of Iowa College of Medicine Refresher Course for the Family Physician, Coralville, IA, April 4, 2010
- Wolff Award Recipient Lecture, “A Novel Migraine Model: CGRP-Sensitized Mice”, American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, April 13, 2010
- Invited speaker, “Migraine and Obesity”, Annual Winter Symposium of the Headache Cooperative of the Pacific, Ojai, CA, January 29, 2011
- Invited speaker, “Management of Severe or Dangerous Headaches”, Emergency Neurology Course, American Academy of Neurology, Honolulu, HI, April 12, 2011
- Invited speaker, “Shedding Light on Photophobia”, UCSF Pain Research Group, San Francisco, CA, May 5, 2011.
Publications:
Peer-reviewed articles
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Digre KB, Baggaley S, Martin V, Recober A, Geweke LO, Hafeez F, Aurora SK, Herial NA, Utley C, Khuder SA. High prevalence of somatic symptoms and depression in women with disabling chronic headache. Neurology. 2007 Jan 9;68(2):134-40. (PMID17210894)
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Digre KB, Baggaley S, Martin V, Recober A, Geweke LO, Hafeez F, Aurora SK, Herial NA, Utley C, Khuder SA. History of childhood maltreatment is associated with comorbid depression in women with migraine. Neurology. 2007 Sep 4;69(10):959-68. (PMID17785664)
Recober A, Kuburas A, Zhang Z, Wemmie JA, Anderson MG, Russo AF. Role of calcitonin gene-related peptide in light aversive behavior: implications for migraine. J Neurosci. 2009 Jul 8;29(27):8798-804. (PMC2944225)
Highlighted: Faculty of 1000 Medicine (Must read)
Highlighted: NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Website.
Highlighted: Nature Reviews Neurology 5, 465-465 (September 2009)
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Peterlin BL, Eloff A, Dafer RM, Stein MR, Drexler E, Martin VT, Hutchinson S, Aurora SK, Recober A, Herial NA, Utley C, White L, Khuder SA. Allodynia in migraine: association with comorbid pain conditions. Headache. 2009 Oct;49(9):1333-44. (PMID: 19788473)
Recober A, Kaiser E, Kuburas A, Russo AF. Induction of multiple photophobic behaviors in a transgenic mouse sensitized to CGRP. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Jan;58(1):156-65. [Epub 2009 Jul]. (PMC2784010)
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Peterlin BL, Eloff A, Dafer RM, Stein MR, Drexler E, Martin VT, Hutchinson S, Aurora SK, Recober A, Herial NA, Utley C, White L, Khuder SA. Childhood maltreatment and migraine (Part I). Prevalence and adult revictimization. A multicenter headache clinic survey. Headache. 2010 Jan;50:20-31. [Epub 2009 Oct] (PMID19845782)
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Peterlin BL, Eloff A, Dafer RM, Stein MR, Drexler E, Martin VT, Hutchinson S, Aurora SK, Recober A, Herial NA, Utley C, White L, Khuder SA. Childhood maltreatment and migraine (Part II). Emotional abuse as a risk factor for headache chronification and transformed migraine. Headache. 2010 Jan;50:32-41. [Epub 2009 Oct] (PMID19845781)
Tietjen GE, Brandes JL, Peterlin BL, Eloff A, Dafer RM, Stein MR, Drexler E, Martin VT, Hutchinson S, Aurora SK, Recober A, Herial NA, Utley C, White L, Khuder SA. Childhood maltreatment and migraine (Part III). Association with comorbid pain conditions. Headache. 2010 Jan;50:42-51. [Epub 2009 Oct] (PMID19845780)
Thompson S, Recober A*, Vogel TW, Kuburas A, Owens JA, Sheffield VC, Russo AF, Stone EM. Light-aversion in mice depends on non-image-forming irradiance detection. Behavioral Neuroscience. 2010 Dec;124(6):821-7 [Epub ahead of print Nov 1]. (PMID 21038932) (*shared first authorship)
Peer-reviewed Invited Review Articles
Recober A, Geweke LO. Menstrual migraine. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2005 Mar;5(2):93-98. (PMID 15743545)
Recober A, Russo AF. Olcegepant, a non-peptide CGRP1 antagonist for migraine treatment. IDrugs. 2007 Aug;10(8):566-74. (PMID 17665333)
Recober A, Russo AF. Calcitonin gene-related peptide: an update on the biology. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2009 May 1;22:241-246. (PMC 2844706)
Russo F, Kuburas A, Kaiser E, Raddant A, Recober A. A Potential Preclinical Migraine Model: CGRP-Sensitized Mice. Mol Cell Pharmacol 2009;1(5):264-270. (PMC 2844716)
Recober A, Goadsby PJ. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP): a molecular link between obesity and migraine? Drug News and Perspective 2010;23(2):112-7. (PMID 20369076)
Invited Chapters and Educational Supplements
Recober A, Russo A. Anti-Migraine Medications. Handbook of Contemporary Neuropharmacology. (ed. D. Sibley), Wiley and Sons. 2007
Russo AF, Recober A, Zhang Z, Marquez de Prado B, Kaiser E, Kuburas A. Biological relevance of CGRP in the context of migraine. In Frontiers in Headache Research, vol. 18, Role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and adrenomedullin (AM) in migraine; ed: Jes Olesen. Oxford University Press.