Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Cognitive impairment in chronic migraine: a cross-sectional study in a clinic-based sample

Comprometimento cognitivo na enxaqueca crônica: um estudo transversal em uma amostra clínica

Abstract

Cognitive impairment has been described in all phases of a migraine attack and interictally. However, the prevalence and phenotype of such impairment in chronic migraine (CM) have not yet been studied.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to evaluate both the prevalence of the objective cognitive deficit in patients with CM and the factors underlying its etiology.

Methods:

144 patients with CM and 44 age-matched patients with low-frequency episodic migraine (EM) (a maximum of 4 headache days per month) participated in this study. Neuropsychiatric characteristics were measured with the HADS Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Cognitive function was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ-20).

Results:

Compared to EM, CM subjects demonstrated higher subjective and objective cognitive impairment across all tests. CM patients had 4 times higher odds of achieving a RAVLT score in the lower quartile range compared to EM (Odds Ratio [OR] 3.8; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.5‒9.6; р=0.005). In the MoCA, CM patients demonstrated the most striking impairment in memory/delayed recall (65.3%), attention (46.5%), abstraction (30.6%), and language (27.1%). Chronic headache and level of education, but not gender, depression or anxiety, were independent predictors of cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in the CM population during their mildest possible pain and may be caused by a central sensitization. Timely preventive treatment of EM is warranted.

Keywords:
migraine; chronic migraine; cognition; memory; depression

Resumo

O comprometimento cognitivo foi descrito em todas as fases de um ataque de enxaqueca, de maneira intermitente. Entretanto, a prevalência e o fenótipo desse comprometimento na enxaqueca crônica (EC) não foram estudados.

Objetivos:

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência do déficit cognitivo objetivo em pacientes com EC e fatores subjacentes à sua etiologia.

Métodos:

144 pacientes com CM e 44 pacientes pareados por idade com enxaqueca episódica (EE) de baixa frequência (máximo de 4 dias de dor de cabeça por mês) foram incluídos. As características neuropsiquiátricas foram medidas pela Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A função cognitiva foi avaliada por meio da Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), o Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), o Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) e o Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ-20).

Resultados:

Em comparação com a EE, os indivíduos com EC demonstraram um comprometimento cognitivo subjetivo e objetivo maior em todos os testes. Os pacientes com CM tiveram 4 vezes mais chances de alcançar um escore RAVLT na faixa quartil inferior, em comparação com EE (Odds Ratio [OR] 3,8; intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%] 1,5‒9,6; p=0,005). No MoCA, os pacientes com EC demonstraram o maior prejuízo na memória/atraso na recordação (65,3%), atenção (46,5%), abstração (30,6%) e linguagem (27,1%). Dor de cabeça crônica e nível de escolaridade, mas não o sexo, depressão ou ansiedade, foram preditores independentes de comprometimento cognitivo.

Conclusões:

O comprometimento cognitivo é prevalente na população com enxaqueca crônica mesmo durante uma dor muito leve e pode ser causado pela sensibilização central. O tratamento preventivo oportuno da enxaqueca episódica se faz necessário.

Palavras-chave:
transtornos de enxaqueca; enxaqueca crônica; cognição; memória; depressão

Migraine is one of the most common pain disorders, and its prevalence affects up to 25% of young women11. Victor TW, Hu X, Campbell JC, Buse DC, Lipton RB. Migraine prevalence by age and sex in the United States: a life-span study. Cephalalgia. 2010 Sep;30(9):1065-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102409355601
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102409355601...
. Chronic migraine (CM) is a disabling condition. with a prevalence of up to 5.1% and possibly even higher in Russia22. Natoli JL, Manack A, Dean B, Butler Q, Turkel CC, Stovner L, Lipton RB. Global prevalence of chronic migraine: a systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2010 May;30(5):599-609. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01941.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009...
,33. Ayzenberg I, Katsarava Z, Sborowski A, Chernysh M, Osipova V, Tabeeva G, et al. The prevalence of primary headache disorders in Russia: a countrywide survey. Cephalalgia. 2012 Apr;32(5):373-81. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102412438977
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102412438977...
. In two large epidemiological studies - CaMEO and AMPP - MIDAS-assessed disability reached as high as 38‒45 points (severe disability)44. Lipton RB, Adams AM, Buse DC, Fanning KL, Reed ML. A comparison of the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study and American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study: demographics and headache-related disability. Headache. 2016 Sep;56(8):1280-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12878
https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12878...
. In CM, the rate of severe disability reached 79‒82%. Disability in CM has traditionally been associated with continuous pain and regular pain exacerbations, and insufficient response to acute treatments.

However, data on the poorer cognitive performance of migraineurs during both interictal55. Camarda C, Monastero R, Pipia C, Recca D, Camarda R. Interictal executive dysfunction in migraineurs without aura: relationship with duration and intensity of attacks. Cephalalgia. 2007 Oct;27(10):1094-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01394.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007...
,66. Mulder EJ, Linssen WH, Passchier J, Orlebeke JF, de Geus EJ. Interictal and postictal cognitive changes in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1999 Jul;19(6):557-65; discussion 541. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006557.x
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999...
,77. Santangelo G, Russo A, Trojano L, Falco F, Marcuccio L, Siciliano M, et al. Cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms in migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study. J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-0
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-...
or ictal88. Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. Subjective cognitive symptoms during a migraine attack: a prospective study of a clinic-based sample. Pain Physician. 2016 Jan;19(1):E137-50.,99. Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. The impact of cognitive symptoms on migraine attack-related disability. Cephalalgia. 2016 Apr;36(5):422-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471...
phases are present when compared to healthy controls. Patients with migraine are suggested to show selective defects in executive/attention and visuospatial domains66. Mulder EJ, Linssen WH, Passchier J, Orlebeke JF, de Geus EJ. Interictal and postictal cognitive changes in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1999 Jul;19(6):557-65; discussion 541. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006557.x
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999...
,1010. Martins IP, Gil-Gouveia R, Silva C, Maruta C, Oliveira AG. Migraine, headaches, and cognition. Headache. 2012 Nov/Dec;52(10):1471-82.. Such cognitive symptoms have significant impact on patient disability99. Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. The impact of cognitive symptoms on migraine attack-related disability. Cephalalgia. 2016 Apr;36(5):422-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471...
. Most often, patients experience reversible difficulties with various aspects of cognition, including attention, executive function, psychomotor speed, language, and memory. These deficits may persist even after their headache resolution, with roughly 60% of patients reporting asthenia, tiredness, depression and concentration difficulties1111. Meyer JS, Thornby J, Crawford K, Rauch GM. Reversible cognitive decline accompanies migraine and cluster headaches. Headache. 2000 Sep;40(8):638-46. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000.040008638.x
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000...
,1212. Quintela E, Castillo J, Munoz P, Pascual J. Premonitory and resolution symptoms in migraine: A prospective study in 100 unselected patients. Cephalalgia. 2006; 26(9):1051-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01157.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006...
. These findings were corroborated by a systematic review of Gil-Gouveia et al.1313. Gil-Gouveia R, Martins I. Clinical description of attack-related cognitive symptoms in migraine: A systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jun;38(7):1335-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250...
, in which authors concluded that cognitive symptoms are described in all phases of the migraine attack phenomenology.

Subjective and objective cognitive impairment is relatively well studied in major depression1414. Lam R, Kennedy S, Mclntyre R, Khullar A. Cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder: effects on psychosocial functioning and implications for treatment. Can J Psychiatry. 2014 Dec;59(12):649-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405901206
https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743714059012...
. Depression is highly comorbid with migraine and especially CM. When compared to healthy controls, CM patients have a 3.8 increased risk of being depressed1515. Buse D, Silberstein S, Manack A, Papapetropoulos S, Lipton RB. Psychiatric comorbidities of episodic and chronic migraine. J Neurol. 2013 Aug;260(8):1960-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-012-6725-x
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-012-6725-...
, and up to 85% of CM patients have some level of depression1616. Mercante J, Peres M, Guendler V, Zukerman E, Bernik MA. Depression in chronic migraine: severity and clinical features. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2005 Jun;63(2A):217-20. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282x2005000200005
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282x200500...
. This means that depression may be a major cause of cognitive decline in migraine.

However, some authors show no link between subjective cognitive symptoms and depression in episodic migraine (EM) and fibromyalgia77. Santangelo G, Russo A, Trojano L, Falco F, Marcuccio L, Siciliano M, et al. Cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms in migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study. J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-0
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-...
,1717. Tesio V, Torta D, Colonna F, Leombruni P, Ghiggia A, Fusaro E, et al. Are fibromyalgia patients cognitively impaired? Objective and subjective neuropsychological evidence. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2015;67(1):143-50. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22403
https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22403...
. In the prospective study on EM subjects, Gil-Gouveia et al. demonstrated that the differences found were unrelated to age, gender, literacy, anxiety, pain intensity or duration of the attack, and that they were fully reversible88. Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. Subjective cognitive symptoms during a migraine attack: a prospective study of a clinic-based sample. Pain Physician. 2016 Jan;19(1):E137-50.. A more recent study by Santangelo et al. has also shown no correlation between depression and cognitive performance in migraine1818. Santangelo G, Russo A, Tessitore A, Garramone F, Silvestro M, Della Mura MR, et al. Prospective memory is dysfunctional in migraine without aura. Cephalalgia. 2018 Oct;38(12):1825-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280...
. Cognitive issues may be linked to a reversible brain dysfunction during a migraine attack.

Studies on the cognitive performance in CM still lack. However, some authors demonstrate decreasing cognitive skills with increasing headache frequency1919. Huang L, Juan Dong H, Wang X, Wang Y, Xiao Z. Duration and frequency of migraines affect cognitive function: evidence from neuropsychological tests and event-related potentials. J Headache Pain. 2017 Dec;18(1):54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-6
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-...
,2020. Costa A, Sansalone A, Squillace A, Vescio G, Iannacchero R. O007. Self-referred cognitive impairment in migraine patients. J Headache Pain. 2015;16(Suppl 1):A149. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-A149
https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-...
. CM patients may experience continuous headache or frequent migraine attacks with almost overlapping prodromal or post-dromal symptoms. Based on such data, we hypothesize that CM patients may experience significant cognitive decline, which might contribute greatly to their disability.

Cognitive performance is understudied in migraine. Studies included subjects with EM - whether ictally or interictally. Based on the afore mentioned considerations, the present study aimed at investigating the cognitive profile in a clinic-based sample of CM patients, using the widely available and easy-to-use Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) tools, along with other cognitive instruments. Moreover, we compared their cognitive performance with subjects with low-frequency EM and investigated the possible relations between cognitive impairment and psychological symptoms, such as depression and anxiety.

METHODS

144 patients with CM and 44 age-matched patients with low-frequency EM (a maximum of 4 headache days per month) were studied. All subjects were recruited at the Alexander Vein Headache Clinic. Inclusion criteria were a) age 18-59 years old; b) history of CM or EM as defined by the International Classification of Headache Disorders - III beta. The diagnosis was made by a specialist headache neurologist during patient consultation; c) written informed consent. CM patients were included if they presented themselves at the consultation during their mildest headaches or headache-free (the pain intensity range was 0-4 cm on the 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS), with a mean intensity of 2.1 cm). Patients who first presented during a headache exacerbation could be included during their next consultation at the time of no/mild headache. EM patients had to be headache-free for at least 48 hours to minimize the chance of post-dromal cognitive dysfunction. Patient demographics and history were recorded, and a complete neurological examination was performed to exclude secondary headaches. Depression and anxiety were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)2121. Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983 Jun;67(6):361-70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983...
. HADS defines depression/anxiety as absent at 0‒7 points, subclinical at 8‒10 points, and clinical at over 11 points.

The exclusion criteria for all groups were major psychiatric disorders (except for mild or moderate depression and anxiety), the use of benzodiazepines, antidepressants and anticonvulsants (these drugs had to be discontinued at least two weeks prior to the study) or intake of ‘rescue’ medications within six hours before commencing the examination. The study was approved by the Sechenov University Ethics Committee.

The demographic and clinical aspects, such as disease duration, number of headache days per month, and pain intensity at the time of examination were recorded. Cognitive function was assessed using the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ-20), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT).

The PDQ-20 was developed to provide a self-report measure of cognitive dysfunction2222. Strober LB, Binder A, Nikelshpur OM, Chiaravalloti N, DeLuca J. The Perceived Deficits Questionnaire: perception, deficit, or distress? Int J MS Care. 2016 Jul/Aug;18(4):183-90. https://doi.org/10.7224/1537-2073.2015-028
https://doi.org/10.7224/1537-2073.2015-0...
. This instrument consists of 20 questions and provides an assessment of several domains of cognitive functioning: attention/concentration, retrospective memory, prospective memory, and planning/organization.

The MoCA aims to evaluate global cognitive status and several cognitive domains: memory, attention, language, orientation, visuospatial and executive functions. The MoCA total score ranges from 0 (worst performance) to 30 (best performance), with 26 points taken as the cutoff value for mild cognitive impairment2323. Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Apr;53(4):695-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005...
.

The DSST is a paper-and-pencil cognitive test presented on a single sheet of paper, that requires a subject to match symbols to numbers according to a key located on the top of the page. The subject copies the symbol into spaces below a row of numbers. The number of correct symbols within 90 seconds constitutes the score. The DSST is a valid and sensitive measure of cognitive dysfunction impacted by many domains2424. Jaeger J. Digit Symbol Substitution Test: the case for sensitivity over specificity in neuropsychological testing. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2018 Oct;38(5):513-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000000941
https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.000000000000...
. Performance on the DSST correlates with real-world functional outcomes.

The RAVLT evaluates a wide diversity of functions: short-term auditory-verbal memory, learning rate, retrieval rate, learning strategies and more2525. Geffen G, Moar KJ, O’hanlon AP, Clark CR, Geffen LB. Performance measures of 16- to 86-year-old males and females on the auditory verbal learning test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1990 Mar;4(1):45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
https://doi.org/10.1080/1385404900840149...
. Participants are given a list of 15 unrelated words and are asked to repeat them over five different trials (trials 1‒5). Another list of 15 unrelated words is then given and the patient must again repeat the original list of 15 words, and again after 20 minutes (trial 6). We assessed three parameters: total learning (a sum of all correctly recalled words in five trials), learning rate (number of words recalled in trial 5 minus the number of words recalled in trial 1) and delayed recall (number of words recalled in trial 5 minus the number of words recalled in trial 6 after 20 minutes).

The Shapiro-Wilk normality test was performed to evaluate the distribution of demographic, cognitive and behavioral variables. The comparison between EM and CM patients on demographic, neuropsychiatric and cognitive aspects was performed with the Mann-Whitney test and chi-square (or Fisher’s exact test), as appropriate. The performance of patients on the MoCA was also compared to the published normative data to identify how many individuals had clinically relevant cognitive impairment2323. Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Apr;53(4):695-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005...
. Within the sample of CM patients, the association between clinical, neuropsychiatric and cognitive variables was carried out by means of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Nominal variables are presented in relative (%) frequencies, whereas continuous variables are presented by median and interquartile range (Q1, Q3). A significant difference was set at a two-tailed p-value of <.05. All analyses were performed using Statistica, version 12 (Statsoft Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA).

RESULTS

One hundred forty-four consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CM (132 women and 12 men) were enrolled. Also, 44 patients with low-frequency EM were included (40 women and 4 men) (see Table 1 for a summary of demographic and clinical characteristics). A total of 67.4% of patients had concomitant medication-overuse headache (MOH). Over 90% of these patients were using triptans, whereas the rest were overusing caffeine-containing analgesics or triptans plus combination analgesics.

Table 1.
Clinical and demographic characteristics of the patient population.

CM patients had a higher level of depression and anxiety when compared to EM patients. However, because subjects with clinically relevant depression/anxiety were excluded from the study, both of our groups demonstrated HADS-defined absence of depression. Anxiety reached subclinical levels in the CM population.

Compared to EM, CM subjects demonstrated higher subjective cognitive impairment as measured by the PDQ-20 (for all cognitive test scores see Table 2). Interestingly, PDQ-20 performance did not correlate with any of the objective cognitive tests (DSST, RAVLT or MoCA) but correlated positively with the level of depression and anxiety (Spearman rho=0.38 and 0.24, respectively).

Table 2.
Cognitive profile of the chronic migraine and episodic migraine populations.

CM subjects had a significantly lower DSST performance. Moreover, 28.5% of patients with CM and only 13.6% of patients in the control group had the DSST score in the lower quartile range (р=0.04).

In CM subjects the RAVLT total learning score was also significantly lower when compared to low-frequency EM controls. Also, the total learning score did not reach the previously published cut-off values for the respective age group2525. Geffen G, Moar KJ, O’hanlon AP, Clark CR, Geffen LB. Performance measures of 16- to 86-year-old males and females on the auditory verbal learning test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1990 Mar;4(1):45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
https://doi.org/10.1080/1385404900840149...
in both groups (р=0.0001 for both groups). Patients with CM had 4 times higher odds of achieving a RAVLT total learning score in the lower quartile range when compared to the EM cohort (Odds Ratio [OR] 3.8; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.5‒9.6; р=0.005).

The MoCA results were lower in CM subjects when compared to EM ones, but within the normal range in both groups. Nonetheless, 18% of CM subjects and 6.8% of controls scored lower than the cut-off point for mild cognitive impairment (26 points) even when pain-free or almost pain-free (р=0.09). CM patients demonstrated the most striking impairment in memory/delayed recall (65.3%), attention (46.5%), abstraction (30.6%), and language (27.1%).

No differences in cognitive performance were observed between patients with and without MOH. Pain intensity at the time of testing did not correlate with cognitive performance.

We did not observe any clinically significant correlations between neuropsychiatric parameters and performance on objective cognitive tests (Table 3). Interestingly, anxiety correlated positively with RAVLT and MoCA scores, suggesting that mild anxiety may be even helpful in improving cognitive performance.

Table 3 .
Correlation between clinical parameters, cognitive scores and behavioral scores in patients with chronic migraine.

Seeking to further study the effect of neuropsychiatric and other parameters on the cognitive status in CM patients, the DSST performance (as a general measure of several cognitive functions) was analyzed with the multiple linear regression (Table 4). Years of education and chronic headache were found to influence the DSST score (p=0.02 and p=0.04, respectively). Depression and anxiety had no influence on cognitive performance.

Table 4.
Factors influencing cognitive impairment in chronic migraine.

DISCUSSION

This study aimed to investigate the cognitive profile in CM. During the last decade, data on pronounced cognitive deficit in patients with migraine without aura have emerged55. Camarda C, Monastero R, Pipia C, Recca D, Camarda R. Interictal executive dysfunction in migraineurs without aura: relationship with duration and intensity of attacks. Cephalalgia. 2007 Oct;27(10):1094-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01394.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007...
,66. Mulder EJ, Linssen WH, Passchier J, Orlebeke JF, de Geus EJ. Interictal and postictal cognitive changes in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1999 Jul;19(6):557-65; discussion 541. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006557.x
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999...
,77. Santangelo G, Russo A, Trojano L, Falco F, Marcuccio L, Siciliano M, et al. Cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms in migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study. J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-0
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-...
,88. Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. Subjective cognitive symptoms during a migraine attack: a prospective study of a clinic-based sample. Pain Physician. 2016 Jan;19(1):E137-50.,1010. Martins IP, Gil-Gouveia R, Silva C, Maruta C, Oliveira AG. Migraine, headaches, and cognition. Headache. 2012 Nov/Dec;52(10):1471-82.,1111. Meyer JS, Thornby J, Crawford K, Rauch GM. Reversible cognitive decline accompanies migraine and cluster headaches. Headache. 2000 Sep;40(8):638-46. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000.040008638.x
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000...
,1212. Quintela E, Castillo J, Munoz P, Pascual J. Premonitory and resolution symptoms in migraine: A prospective study in 100 unselected patients. Cephalalgia. 2006; 26(9):1051-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01157.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006...
,1818. Santangelo G, Russo A, Tessitore A, Garramone F, Silvestro M, Della Mura MR, et al. Prospective memory is dysfunctional in migraine without aura. Cephalalgia. 2018 Oct;38(12):1825-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280...
,1919. Huang L, Juan Dong H, Wang X, Wang Y, Xiao Z. Duration and frequency of migraines affect cognitive function: evidence from neuropsychological tests and event-related potentials. J Headache Pain. 2017 Dec;18(1):54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-6
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-...
,2020. Costa A, Sansalone A, Squillace A, Vescio G, Iannacchero R. O007. Self-referred cognitive impairment in migraine patients. J Headache Pain. 2015;16(Suppl 1):A149. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-A149
https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-...
,2626. Kalaydjian A, Zandi PP, Swartz KL, Eaton WW, Lyketsos C. How migraines impact cognitive function: findings from the Baltimore ECA. Neurology. 2007 Apr;68(17):1417-24. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000268250.10171.b3
https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.000026825...
, both ictally and interictally. During the migraine attack, cognitive impairment has been demonstrated at every stage, including the non-painful phases of pro and post-drome. Moreover, the severity of interictal cognitive deficit has been shown to correlate with headache frequency1919. Huang L, Juan Dong H, Wang X, Wang Y, Xiao Z. Duration and frequency of migraines affect cognitive function: evidence from neuropsychological tests and event-related potentials. J Headache Pain. 2017 Dec;18(1):54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-6
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-...
,2020. Costa A, Sansalone A, Squillace A, Vescio G, Iannacchero R. O007. Self-referred cognitive impairment in migraine patients. J Headache Pain. 2015;16(Suppl 1):A149. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-A149
https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-...
. This study shows that patients with CM are characterized by significant cognitive impairment even during their mildest possible headache or when headache-free.

PDQ-20 results show that a significant number of CM patients have subjective cognitive decline. However, these reports correlate with depression rather than with the objective tests, meaning that patients who do not complain of cognitive problems at work and at home may in fact be still significantly impaired.

CM patients were proved to have significant deficits in different aspects of cognition, including ‘complex attention’, which was measured with the DSST2424. Jaeger J. Digit Symbol Substitution Test: the case for sensitivity over specificity in neuropsychological testing. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2018 Oct;38(5):513-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000000941
https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.000000000000...
, memory, with the RAVLT, and other domains, including language and abstraction, as evidenced by the MoCA. These differences were found in comparison with subjects with low-frequency EM. CM may phenotypically run as very frequent migraine attacks, in which post-drome of the previous attack is very close in time to the prodrome of the next one; they may even overlap. CM may also run as a mixture of classic migraine pain with less severe pain in-between. In both situations, attack-related cognitive dysfunction may linger and be detected interictally. Cognitive changes during the migraine attack have been postulated to be caused by a reversible brain dysfunction1313. Gil-Gouveia R, Martins I. Clinical description of attack-related cognitive symptoms in migraine: A systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jun;38(7):1335-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250
https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250...
. Our findings seem to corroborate this hypothesis. This may explain why CM patients face continuous cognitive impairment, even when they are pain-free.

It is noteworthy, however, that patients with low-frequency EM also have a certain level of cognitive impairment. For instance, in the RAVLT, these patients scored below the accepted cut-off value for subjects aged 30‒39 (55.9 words)2525. Geffen G, Moar KJ, O’hanlon AP, Clark CR, Geffen LB. Performance measures of 16- to 86-year-old males and females on the auditory verbal learning test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1990 Mar;4(1):45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
https://doi.org/10.1080/1385404900840149...
, meaning that brain dysfunction during migraine attacks may not be fully reversible and may become very stable during headache chronification.

Similar cognitive changes are described in major depression and are even listed as diagnostic criteria of major depression in DSM-52727. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5. ed. Washington, DC: Author; 2013.. Since depression is highly comorbid with migraine and other types of chronic pain, it is natural to assume that cognitive impairment in these patient population is, at least in part, caused by depression.

In this study, we enrolled CM patients with mild, moderate or no depression to investigate the etiological role of other factors. No correlation was found between the levels of depression and anxiety, and any objective measures of cognitive performance. Moreover, the presence of CM in the study, rather than depression, was an independent risk factor for worse performance in the DSST. These findings corroborate the study by Ferreira et al. in patients with various types of chronic pain2828. Ferreira K, Oliver G, Thomaz D, Teixeira CT, Foss MP. Cognitive deficits in chronic pain patients, in a brief screening test, are independent of comorbidities and medication use. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2016 May;74(5):361-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20160071
https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X2016007...
. The present study shows that neuropsychiatric parameters may not be the exclusive cause of cognitive dysfunction in chronic pain.

In our findings, only the level of education and the presence of chronic pain predicted a worse cognitive performance, whereas gender, disease duration, depression and anxiety did not. Interestingly, acute therapy overuse and MOH did not influence cognitive function in our population. Recently, this has also been shown in a small CM population2929. Cai X, Xu X, Zhang A, Lin J, Wang X, He W, Fang Y. Cognitive decline in chronic migraine with nonsteroid anti-inflammation drug overuse: a cross-sectional study. Pain Res Manag. 2019;6:7307198. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198...
. Whereas lower education levels are an established detrimental factor for cognitive performance2525. Geffen G, Moar KJ, O’hanlon AP, Clark CR, Geffen LB. Performance measures of 16- to 86-year-old males and females on the auditory verbal learning test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1990 Mar;4(1):45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
https://doi.org/10.1080/1385404900840149...
,3030. Hoyer WJ, Stawski RS, Wasylyshyn C, Verhaeghen P. Adult age and digit symbol substitution performance: a meta-analysis. Psychol Aging. 2004;19(1):211-4. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.1.211
https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.1.2...
, the impact of chronic pain itself, rather than the associated depression, is a new finding.

Migraine chronification is closely associated to central sensitization (CS), which is developed during every attack and gradually becomes continuous with pain chronification. Maladaptive neuroplasticity has been described in the brain of chronic pain and CM sufferers, including periaqueductal gray, globus pallidus, and striatum, strengthening their connectivity with other areas responsible for nociception and cognition (prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala and insular cortex), increasing excitability and eventually causing grey matter atrophy3131. Aurora S, Brin M. Chronic migraine: an update on physiology, imaging, and the mechanism of action of two available pharmacologic therapies. Headache. 2017 Jan;57(1):109-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12999
https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12999...
,3232. Mainero C, Boshyan J, Hadjikhani N. Altered functional magnetic resonance imaging resting‐state connectivity in periaqueductal gray networks in migraine. Ann Neurol. 2011 Nov;70(5):838‐45. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.22537
https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.22537...
,3333. Kim J, Suh S, Seol H, Oh K, Seo WK, Yu SW, et al. Regional grey matter changes in patients with migraine: A voxel‐based morphometry study. Cephalalgia. 2008 Jun;28(6):598‐604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01550.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008...
. This may explain why cognitive deficits also become chronic and can be detected after pain resolution and the end of post-drome. Moreover, it is yet unknown when this maladaptive process becomes irreversible, causing a proportion of CM patients to experience sustained cognitive impairment and become refractory to headache treatment. It was shown previously that similar cognitive changes in depression persist in about half of the patients even in remission3434. Conradi H, Ormel J, de Jonge P. Presence of individual (residual) symptoms during depressive episodes and periods of remission: a 3-year prospective study. Psychol Med. 2011 Jun;41(6):1165-74. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291710001911
https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329171000191...
.

In light of these findings, timely initiation of preventive treatment in EM is warranted to prevent CS, headache chronification and sustained cognitive impairment.

Strengths: to our knowledge, this is the second study on the cognitive performance in patients with CM; the previous one included a small sample size and was published very recently2929. Cai X, Xu X, Zhang A, Lin J, Wang X, He W, Fang Y. Cognitive decline in chronic migraine with nonsteroid anti-inflammation drug overuse: a cross-sectional study. Pain Res Manag. 2019;6:7307198. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198...
. In our study, cognitive performance was tested across various domains, using different tools. The DSST and MoCA are easy-to-use and require about 10 minutes to be completed, making them easily applicable in routine clinical practice.

This study has several limitations. Firstly, the sample size is rather small. Secondly, although we tried to control for depression by excluding patients with severe depression, this disease and anxiety levels were still higher in the CM group. This is due to high comorbidity between CM and depression and respective difficulties in enrolling only patients without depression. Furthermore, the observed cognitive decline in CM patients could be, in part, caused by other confounding variables, such as sleep disorders, not evaluated in the study.

In summary, CM patients present significantly impaired performance in several cognitive domains, including memory and attention, during their mildest pain and when pain-free. The cognitive deficit is sustained and unrelated to migraine exacerbations. Chronic pain (and level of education) rather than clinical parameters or depression are independent predictors of cognitive decline in CM subjects. Cognitive impairment in CM may be caused by CS and maladaptive neuroplasticity in the brain, areas responsible for nociception, antinociception, and cognition. These findings corroborate the importance of timely preventive treatment of EM. The DSST and MoCA are easy-to-use and widely available tools for time-intensive cognitive testing in migraine patients. Further studies with larger sample sizes to assess the changes in cognitive performance with disease progression and after treatment are warranted.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank all the participants who contributed with their time to the study.

References

  • 1
    Victor TW, Hu X, Campbell JC, Buse DC, Lipton RB. Migraine prevalence by age and sex in the United States: a life-span study. Cephalalgia. 2010 Sep;30(9):1065-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102409355601
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102409355601
  • 2
    Natoli JL, Manack A, Dean B, Butler Q, Turkel CC, Stovner L, Lipton RB. Global prevalence of chronic migraine: a systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2010 May;30(5):599-609. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01941.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01941.x
  • 3
    Ayzenberg I, Katsarava Z, Sborowski A, Chernysh M, Osipova V, Tabeeva G, et al. The prevalence of primary headache disorders in Russia: a countrywide survey. Cephalalgia. 2012 Apr;32(5):373-81. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102412438977
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102412438977
  • 4
    Lipton RB, Adams AM, Buse DC, Fanning KL, Reed ML. A comparison of the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study and American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study: demographics and headache-related disability. Headache. 2016 Sep;56(8):1280-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12878
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12878
  • 5
    Camarda C, Monastero R, Pipia C, Recca D, Camarda R. Interictal executive dysfunction in migraineurs without aura: relationship with duration and intensity of attacks. Cephalalgia. 2007 Oct;27(10):1094-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01394.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01394.x
  • 6
    Mulder EJ, Linssen WH, Passchier J, Orlebeke JF, de Geus EJ. Interictal and postictal cognitive changes in migraine. Cephalalgia. 1999 Jul;19(6):557-65; discussion 541. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006557.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1999.019006557.x
  • 7
    Santangelo G, Russo A, Trojano L, Falco F, Marcuccio L, Siciliano M, et al. Cognitive dysfunctions and psychological symptoms in migraine without aura: a cross-sectional study. J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-0
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0667-0
  • 8
    Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. Subjective cognitive symptoms during a migraine attack: a prospective study of a clinic-based sample. Pain Physician. 2016 Jan;19(1):E137-50.
  • 9
    Gil-Gouveia R, Oliveira AG, Martins IP. The impact of cognitive symptoms on migraine attack-related disability. Cephalalgia. 2016 Apr;36(5):422-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102415604471
  • 10
    Martins IP, Gil-Gouveia R, Silva C, Maruta C, Oliveira AG. Migraine, headaches, and cognition. Headache. 2012 Nov/Dec;52(10):1471-82.
  • 11
    Meyer JS, Thornby J, Crawford K, Rauch GM. Reversible cognitive decline accompanies migraine and cluster headaches. Headache. 2000 Sep;40(8):638-46. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000.040008638.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000.040008638.x
  • 12
    Quintela E, Castillo J, Munoz P, Pascual J. Premonitory and resolution symptoms in migraine: A prospective study in 100 unselected patients. Cephalalgia. 2006; 26(9):1051-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01157.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01157.x
  • 13
    Gil-Gouveia R, Martins I. Clinical description of attack-related cognitive symptoms in migraine: A systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jun;38(7):1335-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417728250
  • 14
    Lam R, Kennedy S, Mclntyre R, Khullar A. Cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder: effects on psychosocial functioning and implications for treatment. Can J Psychiatry. 2014 Dec;59(12):649-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405901206
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405901206
  • 15
    Buse D, Silberstein S, Manack A, Papapetropoulos S, Lipton RB. Psychiatric comorbidities of episodic and chronic migraine. J Neurol. 2013 Aug;260(8):1960-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-012-6725-x
    » https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-012-6725-x
  • 16
    Mercante J, Peres M, Guendler V, Zukerman E, Bernik MA. Depression in chronic migraine: severity and clinical features. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2005 Jun;63(2A):217-20. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282x2005000200005
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282x2005000200005
  • 17
    Tesio V, Torta D, Colonna F, Leombruni P, Ghiggia A, Fusaro E, et al. Are fibromyalgia patients cognitively impaired? Objective and subjective neuropsychological evidence. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2015;67(1):143-50. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22403
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22403
  • 18
    Santangelo G, Russo A, Tessitore A, Garramone F, Silvestro M, Della Mura MR, et al. Prospective memory is dysfunctional in migraine without aura. Cephalalgia. 2018 Oct;38(12):1825-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102418758280
  • 19
    Huang L, Juan Dong H, Wang X, Wang Y, Xiao Z. Duration and frequency of migraines affect cognitive function: evidence from neuropsychological tests and event-related potentials. J Headache Pain. 2017 Dec;18(1):54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-6
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0758-6
  • 20
    Costa A, Sansalone A, Squillace A, Vescio G, Iannacchero R. O007. Self-referred cognitive impairment in migraine patients. J Headache Pain. 2015;16(Suppl 1):A149. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-A149
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-16-S1-A149
  • 21
    Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983 Jun;67(6):361-70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x
  • 22
    Strober LB, Binder A, Nikelshpur OM, Chiaravalloti N, DeLuca J. The Perceived Deficits Questionnaire: perception, deficit, or distress? Int J MS Care. 2016 Jul/Aug;18(4):183-90. https://doi.org/10.7224/1537-2073.2015-028
    » https://doi.org/10.7224/1537-2073.2015-028
  • 23
    Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Apr;53(4):695-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
  • 24
    Jaeger J. Digit Symbol Substitution Test: the case for sensitivity over specificity in neuropsychological testing. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2018 Oct;38(5):513-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000000941
    » https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000000941
  • 25
    Geffen G, Moar KJ, O’hanlon AP, Clark CR, Geffen LB. Performance measures of 16- to 86-year-old males and females on the auditory verbal learning test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1990 Mar;4(1):45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/13854049008401496
  • 26
    Kalaydjian A, Zandi PP, Swartz KL, Eaton WW, Lyketsos C. How migraines impact cognitive function: findings from the Baltimore ECA. Neurology. 2007 Apr;68(17):1417-24. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000268250.10171.b3
    » https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000268250.10171.b3
  • 27
    American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5. ed. Washington, DC: Author; 2013.
  • 28
    Ferreira K, Oliver G, Thomaz D, Teixeira CT, Foss MP. Cognitive deficits in chronic pain patients, in a brief screening test, are independent of comorbidities and medication use. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2016 May;74(5):361-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20160071
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20160071
  • 29
    Cai X, Xu X, Zhang A, Lin J, Wang X, He W, Fang Y. Cognitive decline in chronic migraine with nonsteroid anti-inflammation drug overuse: a cross-sectional study. Pain Res Manag. 2019;6:7307198. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198
    » https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7307198
  • 30
    Hoyer WJ, Stawski RS, Wasylyshyn C, Verhaeghen P. Adult age and digit symbol substitution performance: a meta-analysis. Psychol Aging. 2004;19(1):211-4. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.1.211
    » https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.1.211
  • 31
    Aurora S, Brin M. Chronic migraine: an update on physiology, imaging, and the mechanism of action of two available pharmacologic therapies. Headache. 2017 Jan;57(1):109-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12999
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12999
  • 32
    Mainero C, Boshyan J, Hadjikhani N. Altered functional magnetic resonance imaging resting‐state connectivity in periaqueductal gray networks in migraine. Ann Neurol. 2011 Nov;70(5):838‐45. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.22537
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.22537
  • 33
    Kim J, Suh S, Seol H, Oh K, Seo WK, Yu SW, et al. Regional grey matter changes in patients with migraine: A voxel‐based morphometry study. Cephalalgia. 2008 Jun;28(6):598‐604. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01550.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01550.x
  • 34
    Conradi H, Ormel J, de Jonge P. Presence of individual (residual) symptoms during depressive episodes and periods of remission: a 3-year prospective study. Psychol Med. 2011 Jun;41(6):1165-74. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291710001911
    » https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291710001911

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    30 Mar 2020
  • Date of issue
    Mar 2020

History

  • Reviewed
    08 Aug 2019
  • Received
    17 Sept 2019
  • Accepted
    30 Sept 2019
Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO R. Vergueiro, 1353 sl.1404 - Ed. Top Towers Offices Torre Norte, 04101-000 São Paulo SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 11 5084-9463 | +55 11 5083-3876 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista.arquivos@abneuro.org