Migraine and bipolar disorder as comorbid disorders

Author/s
Jonathan Holland, Mark Agius
Citation
Issue 3 Summer 2013
CEPiP.2013;1:265-270
Abstract

There are several reports suggesting that patients with bipolar spectrum disorders experience migraines more frequently than the general population or those with other mood disorders. This could have implications for the treatment of bipolar disorders; untreated migraine could exacerbate their affective states. A previous study of comorbidity of these conditions in a regional hospital psychiatric outpatient department found a much lower comorbidity than expected. It was suggested this might have been attributable to under-diagnosis or under-recognition of the two conditions. Here we re-analyse data from the same outpatient department and find that with greater recognition of this comorbidity the reported prevalence has increased markedly to 33.3% of new referrals in the past year and 8.5% overall. We conclude that there may be considerable under-recognition of the co-existence of migraine and bipolar disorders.

Keywords: migraine, bipolar disorder, prevalence, headache, depressive disorders

Cite as: Cutting Edge Psychiatry in Practice 2013, 3(1):265-270; https://doi.org/10.65031/nwop9735

References

  1. Low NC, Du Fort GG, Cervantes P. Prevalence, clinical correlates, and treatment of migraine in bipolar disorder. Headache 2003 Oct; 43 (9): 940-9. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2003.03184.x
  2. McIntyre RS, Konarski JZ, Wilkins K et al. The prevalence and impact of migraine headache in bipolar disorder: results from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Headache 2006 Jun; 46 (6): 973-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00469.x
  3. Lipton RB, Bigal ME, Scher AI, Stewart WF. The global burden of migraine. The Journal of headache and pain 2003 Mar; 3: S3-S11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s101940300001
  4. Holland J, Agius MA, Zaman R. Prevalence of Co-Morbid Bipolar Disorder and Migraine in a Regional Hospital Psychiatric Outpatient Department. Psychiatr Danub 2011 Sep; 23 Suppl 1: S23-4.               
  5. Ortiz A, Cervantes P, Zlotnik G et al. Cross-prevalence of migraine and bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorders 2010; 12: 397-403. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-5618.2010.00832.x
  6. Rogawski MA, Löscher W. The neurobiology of antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of nonepileptic conditions. Nature Medicine 2004 Jul; 10 (7): 685-692. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1074
  7. Ghaemi SN, Wingo AP, Filkowski MA, Baldessarini RJ. Long-term antidepressant treatment in bipolar disorder: meta-analyses of benefits and risks. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 2008 Nov; 118 (5): 347-356. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01257.x
  8. Ortiz A, Alda M. Treatment of bipolar disorder with comorbid migraine. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 2010 Jan; 35 (1): E1-2. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.090166
  9. Bender RE, Alloy LB. Life stress and kindling in bipolar disorder: Review of the evidence and integration with emerging biopsychosocial theories. Clinical Psychology Review 2011; 31: 383-398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.01.004
  10. Bigal ME, Lipton RB. Modifiable Risk Factors for Migraine Progression. Headache 2006; 46: 1334-1343. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00577.x
  11. Oedegaard KJ, Greenwood TA, Lunde A et al. A genome-wide linkage study of bipolar disorder and co-morbid migraine: Replication of migraine linkage on chromosome 4q24, and suggestion of an overlapping susceptibility region for both disorders on chromosome 20p11. Journal of Affective Disorders 2010; 122: 14-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2009.06.014
  12. Monteleone P, Serritella C, Martiadis V, Maj M. Decreased levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in both depressed and euthymic patients with unipolar depression and in euthymic patients with bipolar I and II disorders. Bipolar Disorders 2008 Feb; 10 (1): 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-5618.2008.00459.x
  13. Sarchielli P, Mancini ML, Floridi A et al. Increased Levels of Neurotrophins Are Not Specific for Chronic Migraine: Evidence from Primary Fibromyalgia Syndrome. The Journal of Pain 2007 Sep; 8 (9): 737-745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2007.05.002
  14. Degabriele R, Lagopoulos J. A review of EEG and ERP studies in bipolar disorder. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 2009; 21: 58-66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1601-5215.2009.00359.x
  15. Sand T. Electroencephalography in migraine: a review with focus on quantitative electroencephalography and the migraine vs. epilepsy relationship. Cephalalgia 2003; 23 (S1): 5-11. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2003.00570.x
  16. Türkoğlu R, Tüzün E, İçöz S, Birişik Ö, Erdağ E, Kürtüncü M, Akman-Demir G. Antineuronal antibodies in migraine patients with white matter lesions. The International Journal of Neuroscience 2011 Jan; 121 (1): 33-36. https://doi.org/10.3109/00207454.2010.524331
  17. Padmos RC, Van Baal CM, Vonk R et al. Genetic and Environmental Influences on Pro-Inflammatory Monocytes in Bipolar Disorder: A Twin Study. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009 Sep; 66 (9):957-965. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.116
  18. Adibhatla RM, Hatcher JF. Altered Lipid Metabolism in Brain Injury and Disorders. Subcellular Biochemistry 2008; 49: 241-268. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8831-5_9
  19. Sun-Edelstein C, Mauskop A. Foods and Supplements in the Management of Migraine Headaches. The Clinical Journal of Pain 2009 Jun; 25 (5): 446-452. https://doi.org/10.1097/ajp.0b013e31819a6f65