Headaches and Obesity

Overview

Journal Arq Neuropsiquiatr

Publisher Thieme

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2022 Aug 17

PMID 35976296

Authors

Ida Fortini

Bernardo Dror Felsenfeld Junior

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Obesity and headache disorders are two very common conditions in the general population that have been increasing in incidence over the last decades. Recent studies have shown a significant relationship between obesity and headaches, particularly migraine, with an important role in whether the disease is chronic. On the other hand, no such association was found with tension-type headaches. Studies showing an overlapping of hunger-control pathways and those involved in the pathophysiology of migraine may justify the close association between obesity and migraine. Moreover, a secondary headache for which obesity is a strong risk factor is idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri), with several studies showing the impact of weight reduction/bariatric surgery in the treatment of the disease. In conclusion, since obesity is a modifiable risk factor, it is important for physicians treating patients with headaches, and particularly migraine, to be aware of the association between these two disorders.

Citing Articles

Inflammo-immune perspective on the association of eight migraine risk factors with migraine: a multi-omics Mendelian randomization study.

Zhao J, Chen R, Luo M, Gong H, Li K, Zhao Q Front Neurol. 2024; 15:1440995.

PMID: 39170074 PMC: 11335614. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1440995.

The relationship between body mass index and cerebrospinal fluid pressure in children with pseudotumor cerebri.

Cag Y, Sager S, Akcay M, Kaytan I, Sobu E, Erdem A Ital J Pediatr. 2024; 50(1):150.

PMID: 39154176 PMC: 11330048. DOI: 10.1186/s13052-024-01722-w.

Specifically formulated ketogenic, low carbohydrate, and carnivore diets can prevent migraine: a perspective.

Stanton A Front Nutr. 2024; 11:1367570.

PMID: 38746934 PMC: 11091296. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1367570.

Assessing the Relationship between Obesity and Trigger Point-specific Outcomes after Headache Surgery.

Ormseth B, Kavanagh K, Saffari T, Palettas M, Janis J Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2024; 12(3):e5629.

PMID: 38486715 PMC: 10939604. DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005629.

References

Bond D, Vithiananthan S, Nash J, Thomas J, Wing R . Improvement of migraine headaches in severely obese patients after bariatric surgery. Neurology. 2011; 76(13):1135-8. PMC: 3068014. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318212ab1e. View

Bigal M, Liberman J, Lipton R . Obesity and migraine: a population study. Neurology. 2005; 66(4):545-50. DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000197218.05284.82. View

Ford E, Li C, Zhao G, Tsai J . Trends in obesity and abdominal obesity among adults in the United States from 1999-2008. Int J Obes (Lond). 2010; 35(5):736-43. DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2010.186. View

Kristoffersen E, Borte S, Hagen K, Zwart J, Winsvold B . Migraine, obesity and body fat distribution - a population-based study. J Headache Pain. 2020; 21(1):97. PMC: 7409451. DOI: 10.1186/s10194-020-01163-w. View

Kurth T, Gaziano J, Cook N, Logroscino G, Diener H, Buring J . Migraine and risk of cardiovascular disease in women. JAMA. 2006; 296(3):283-91. DOI: 10.1001/jama.296.3.283. View

Schramm S, Obermann M, Katsarava Z, Diener H, Moebus S, Yoon M . Epidemiological profiles of patients with chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headache. J Headache Pain. 2013; 14:40. PMC: 3655106. DOI: 10.1186/1129-2377-14-40. View

Bongiovanni D, Benedetto C, Corvisieri S, Del Favero C, Orlandi F, Allais G . Effectiveness of ketogenic diet in treatment of patients with refractory chronic migraine. Neurol Sci. 2021; 42(9):3865-3870. DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05078-5. View

Scher A, Stewart W, Ricci J, Lipton R . Factors associated with the onset and remission of chronic daily headache in a population-based study. Pain. 2003; 106(1-2):81-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3959(03)00293-8. View

D Amico D, Curone M, Ciasca P, Cammarata G, Melzi L, Bussone G . Headache prevalence and clinical features in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Neurol Sci. 2013; 34 Suppl 1:S147-9. DOI: 10.1007/s10072-013-1388-7. View

10.

Hagen K, Asvold B, Midthjell K, Stovner L, Zwart J, Linde M . Inverse relationship between type 1 diabetes mellitus and migraine. Data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Surveys 1995-1997 and 2006-2008. Cephalalgia. 2017; 38(3):417-426. DOI: 10.1177/0333102417690488. View

11.

Raoof N, Sharrack B, Pepper I, Hickman S . The incidence and prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in Sheffield, UK. Eur J Neurol. 2011; 18(10):1266-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2011.03372.x. View

12.

Vo M, Ainalem A, Qiu C, Peterlin B, Aurora S, Williams M . Body mass index and adult weight gain among reproductive age women with migraine. Headache. 2011; 51(4):559-69. PMC: 3187699. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01833.x. View

13.

Peterlin B, Sacco S, Bernecker C, Scher A . Adipokines and Migraine: A Systematic Review. Headache. 2016; 56(4):622-44. PMC: 4836978. DOI: 10.1111/head.12788. View

14.

Bigal M, Tsang A, Loder E, Serrano D, Reed M, Lipton R . Body mass index and episodic headaches: a population-based study. Arch Intern Med. 2007; 167(18):1964-70. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.167.18.1964. View

15.

Peterlin B, Rosso A, Rapoport A, Scher A . Obesity and migraine: the effect of age, gender and adipose tissue distribution. Headache. 2009; 50(1):52-62. PMC: 3566428. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01459.x. View

16.

Netzer C, Freudenberg J, Heinze A, Heinze-Kuhn K, Goebel I, McCarthy L . Replication study of the insulin receptor gene in migraine with aura. Genomics. 2008; 91(6):503-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2008.03.006. View

17.

Kesler A, Kliper E, Shenkerman G, Stern N . Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is associated with lower body adiposity. Ophthalmology. 2009; 117(1):169-74. DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.06.030. View

18.

Westgate C, Botfield H, Alimajstorovic Z, Yiangou A, Walsh M, Smith G . Systemic and adipocyte transcriptional and metabolic dysregulation in idiopathic intracranial hypertension. JCI Insight. 2021; 6(10). PMC: 8262372. DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.145346. View

19.

Rainero I, Limone P, Ferrero M, Valfre W, Pelissetto C, Rubino E . Insulin sensitivity is impaired in patients with migraine. Cephalalgia. 2005; 25(8):593-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2005.00928.x. View

20.

Fava A, Pirritano D, Consoli D, Plastino M, Casalinuovo F, Cristofaro S . Chronic migraine in women is associated with insulin resistance: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Neurol. 2013; 21(2):267-72. DOI: 10.1111/ene.12289. View