Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Aim: The aim of this study to determine the correlation between migraine and mood disorders. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Psychiatry. Each patient was evaluated in detail with a questionnaire with details regarding the duration of headache, frequency and duration of each episode, site, quality and severity of pain, auras, migraine accompaniments such as photo or phonophobia, nausea, vomiting as well as triggers. To assess disability, Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS) was applied to all patients. A score of 6 or more is taken as positive with cut offs for mild, moderate, and severe disability. The presence of concurrent anxiety and mood disorders was assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).n Results: A total of 200 patients were studied during the study. The sample consisted mostly (n = 160, 80%) of middle age (20-50 years) Individuals with mean (standard deviation [SD]) of age of 35.12 (8.58) years. It was a female predominant sample (n = 138, 69%). As per HADS score, among the 22 patients (11%) suffering from depressive symptoms, 50% had borderline abnormal score and 16% (n = 32) had abnormal score whereas among the 27 persons (54%) suffering from anxiety 18% had borderline score and 50% had abnormal score. Mean HADS score (SD) of depression was 11.24 (3.04) while that of anxiety was 13.81 (2.71). Median of duration of headache was 6 years with SD of 6.5 years. Here, duration of disease was not normally distributed, so nonparametric statistics were applied. Though female individuals had more duration of illness (mean rank: 69.87), it was not significantly different (P = 0.04) from males (mean rank: 58.47). Middle-aged individuals suffered more duration of illness than other age groups (P < 0.04). Mean rank of the frequency of headache attacks in case of females was 71.4 (P < 0.04). Thus, females had more frequency of illness. No correlation between gender/age group and frequency of headache attacks was found. 75% (n = 150) of individuals had nausea and vomiting. No association with gender or age group with nausea or vomiting was found. 62% (n = 124) had photophobia and photophobia. Conclusion: We concluded that the mood disorders are comorbid with migraine at a rate comparable to or less than that described in many studies in international literature and the occurrence of comorbid mood disorders significantly contributes to migraine associated disability.