Anxiety Disorders and Migraine Intractability and Progression

Overview

Journal Curr Pain Headache Rep

Date 2008 Sep 18

PMID 18796274

Citations 14

Authors

Todd A Smitherman

Donald B Penzien

Morris Maizels

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Comorbid psychopathology has been implicated as a risk factor for the chronification and progression of migraine. Although past research has focused principally on depression and migraine, recent research consistently has confirmed that a disproportionate number of migraineurs suffer from one or more comorbid anxiety disorders. Moreover, this research has implicated anxiety disorders as factors potentially associated with migraine intractability and progression; growing evidence suggests that anxiety disorders may be even more prognostically significant than depression. This article summarizes these recent developments, considers mechanisms underlying this comorbidity, discusses strategies for assessing and managing comorbid anxiety, and notes directions for future clinical and empiric work.

Citing Articles

Anxiety Disorders, Anxious Symptomology and Related Behaviors Associated With Migraine: A Narrative Review of Prevalence and Impact.

Raudenska J, Macko T, Vodickova S, Buse D, Javurkova A Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2025; 29(1):40.

PMID: 39878907 PMC: 11779792. DOI: 10.1007/s11916-024-01312-9.

The Development and Impact of Anxiety With Migraines: A Narrative Review.

Kumar R, Asif S, Bali A, Dang A, Gonzalez D Cureus. 2022; 14(6):e26419.

PMID: 35923673 PMC: 9339341. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.26419.

The Migraine-Anxiety Comorbidity Among Migraineurs: A Systematic Review.

Karimi L, Wijeratne T, Crewther S, Evans A, Ebaid D, Khalil H Front Neurol. 2021; 11:613372.

PMID: 33536997 PMC: 7848023. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.613372.

Efficacy of Galcanezumab for Migraine Prevention in Patients With a Medical History of Anxiety and/or Depression: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled REGAIN, and Pooled EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2 Studies.

Smitherman T, Tietjen G, Schuh K, Skljarevski V, Lipsius S, DSouza D Headache. 2020; 60(10):2202-2219.

PMID: 33063862 PMC: 7756873. DOI: 10.1111/head.13970.

Threat Response System: Parallel Brain Processes in Pain vis-à-vis Fear and Anxiety.

Elman I, Borsook D Front Psychiatry. 2018; 9:29.

PMID: 29515465 PMC: 5826179. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00029.

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