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

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.