Quality of Life and Prevalence of Impulsivity in Females With Migraine Headaches

TL;DR

This study found that women with migraines have higher impulsivity and mood disorders compared to controls, suggesting a need for combined psychological and neurological care.

Contribution

The study reveals a novel link between migraine, impulsivity, and borderline personality traits in females.

Findings

Migraine patients showed significantly higher impulsivity scores than controls.

Migraine sufferers had a higher prevalence of borderline personality traits and mood disorders.

Abstract

Background

Migraine is a common neurological disorder with significant socioeconomic and personal impact. Recent research suggests a potential association between migraine and impulsivity, particularly in females.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of impulsivity and its correlation with migraine-related disability in females with migraine.

Methods

This is a case-control study involving female patients aged 18-60 with migraine, recruited from neurology and psychiatry outpatient clinics. Standardized assessments, including Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), and McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD), were used to evaluate migraine disability, depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Results

There were a total of 149 participants (n=149) in the study, comprising 68 (n=68, 46%) migraine sufferers and 81 (n=81, 54.4%) controls. Migraine patients had significantly higher impulsivity (BIS-11: 34.67 ± 11.95 vs. 26.81 ± 2.99, p < 0.001) and a higher prevalence of borderline personality traits (MSI-BPD: 2.76 ± 2.65 vs. 1.23 ± 0.93, p < 0.01). Depression and anxiety were also significantly more common in the migraine group.

Conclusion

These findings suggest a strong association between migraine, impulsivity, and mood disorders, emphasizing the need for integrated psychological and neurological management in migraine patients.

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