In the sustainable development goals (SDG) context of seeking universal health coverage, the expanding gap between the supply of specialized and primary providers of headache-related health care on the one hand and the care needs of the very large number of people affected by headache on the other is a formidable but not insoluble public-health challenge. Structured headache services provide a cost-effective framework for provision of care but may still be overwhelmed by demand. Community pharmacists are an underutilized resource, potentially well able to provide the solution. This collection aligns with UN SDG-3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages), and more specifically with SDG-3.8 (Achieve universal health coverage ..., access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines ... for all). The collection may include reports (especially comparative studies) on current pharmacy practice (scope, responsibilities and regulatory and other restrictions) relevant to headache care in countries worldwide — especially, but not restricted to, low and lower-middle-income countries; studies of pharmacists' knowledge and understanding of headache disorders and their management, theoretically argued proposals for change that, through educational initiatives, expansion of community pharmacists' scope of practice or by other means, might relieve strained headache-care systems; and studies of workload-shifting in headache care from medical to community pharmacy services (economic evaluations, theoretical or empirical assessments of benefits versus harms, and reports of pilot implementations either in headache care or in other therapeutic areas that might be pathfinders for headache care).

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3, Good Health & Well-Being.

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.

Pain is a debilitating and often under-recognized symptom of neurodegenerative disorders (NDD), including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). One of the interesting and clinically relevant issues is the bidirectional relationship between pain and NDD. In particular, NDD, like chronic pain, which involves not only peripheral but also central mechanisms, is often associated with neuroinflammation, central and peripheral sensitization, and neuronal degeneration. Such chronic pain may worsen the neurodegenerative process, while acute pain may be overlooked in AD and other conditions associated with cognitive decline. The underlying common and disease-specific molecular mechanisms, likely involving changes in neurotransmitters, ion channels, and glial activation, remain largely unknown. It is not entirely clear whether and how the neurodegenerative process may serve as a cause of pain, creating a vicious circle that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. Headaches, and migraine in particular, may have their own specific interactions with NDD. These unanswered questions require research that should deepen our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of such connections, exploring how these discoveries may inspire the development of targeted therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.

The current Thematic Series “Pathophysiology of Pain in Neurodegenerative Diseases” invites original papers and review articles primarily devoted to understanding pathophysiological mechanisms linking various types of pain, including migraine, headache and other pain syndromes, with neurodegenerative disorders. This series aims to advance our understanding of these complex associations to promote future research for innovative therapeutic strategies.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being.

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.