Cognition, disability and quality of life of patients with chronic migraine

Abstract

Introduction

Chronic migraine is commonly regarded as one of the most disabling headache conditions. Although there has been some research indicating the severe impact of this chronic headache, there is little comprehensive evidence of its impact on quality of life, disability and cognitive function.

Objectives

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate cognition, disability and quality of life in patients with chronic migraine compared to healthy control subjects.

Methods

Participants were a convenience sample of 58 adult outpatients admitted to Headache Centre of the Sant’Andrea Hospital in Rome (Italy). Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of chronic migraine (illness duration >5 years). Fifty-eight age-matched healthy subjects were recruited as controls. Participants were administered the Mini Mental State Examination, the Italian Perceived Disability Scale (IPDQ), the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess physical and mental health, and the neurocognitive task Visual Perspective Taking (VPT), as a measure of social cognition.

Results

Patients with chronic migraine showed higher perceived disability and poorer well-being compared with healthy controls. No differences were found in global cognitive function and in the performance of the neurocognitive task.

Conclusions

Addressing the burden associated with subjective state of disability and well-being in migraineurs is important because of its association with a worse prognosis and a worse response to treatment. Findings did not confirm the hypothesis that migraneurs are more impaired in social cognition. Further studies are needed to assess different cognitive dimensions in migraneurs, including various measures of social cognition, to better understand neurocognitive profile of this patients’ population.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.