Migraine headache and mood disorders: a descriptive study in an outpatient psychiatric population

Franchini, Linda; Bongiorno, Fanny; Dotoli, Danilo; Rainero, Innocenzo; Pinessi, Lorenzo; Smeraldi, Enrico

doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(03)00164-2

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 81, Issue 2 , Pages 157-160, August 2004

Migraine headache and mood disorders: a descriptive study in an outpatient psychiatric population

Linda Franchini
- Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, School of Medicine, Università Vita e Salute, Via Stamira d’Ancona 20, 20127 Milan, Italy
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-02-2643-3280; fax: +39-02-2643-3265.
Fanny Bongiorno
- Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, School of Medicine, Università Vita e Salute, Via Stamira d’Ancona 20, 20127 Milan, Italy
Danilo Dotoli
- Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, School of Medicine, Università Vita e Salute, Via Stamira d’Ancona 20, 20127 Milan, Italy
Innocenzo Rainero
- Headache Center, Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
Lorenzo Pinessi
- Headache Center, Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
Enrico Smeraldi
- Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, School of Medicine, Università Vita e Salute, Via Stamira d’Ancona 20, 20127 Milan, Italy

Received 19 February 2003; received in revised form 18 June 2003; accepted 18 June 2003.

Abstract

Background: Information is sparse concerning migraine distribution in mood disorder subjects based mainly on psychiatric disorder. Methods: In a sample of 283 normothymic mood disorder outpatients on maintenance treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or lithium, we investigated migraine distribution and clinical variables possibly related to comorbidity risk between mood disorder and migraine. Results: Some 26.8% of the sample met criteria for migraine with migraine age of onset earlier than mood disorder age of onset; familiarity for mood disorder and migraine was strictly related to comorbidity risk in probands. Long-term treatment with lithium salts subjectively improved migraine outcome. Conclusions: These results could support the bidirectional association between the two clinical forms, considering the familial and pharmacological patterns.

Keywords: Migraine, Mood disorder, Normothymia, Familiarity