Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Migraine in childhood: an organic, biobehavioral, or psychosomatic disorder?

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Migraine is one of the most frequent complaints in children and adolescents and it can have a significant impact on quality of life. There are several factors underlying the onset and the maintenance of this disorder and there is still no a clear etiopathogenesis common to all subjects suffering from migraine. Psychological factors such as individual characteristics, psychiatric comorbidities, and temperament are strictly related to psychosomatic disorders and to migraine. Also, the environmental influence is very relevant and studied: socio-economic status, family dysfunctions, attachment style, or psychiatric disease in parents can influence the onset of migraine in children. Finally, many studies are trying to find out any alteration in genetics or in cerebral areas or networks that can explain migraine vulnerability. In this review, we analyze the most recent findings on neurological, psychological, and environmental factors that may potentially cause migraine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Russo A, Bruno A, Trojsi F, Tessitore A, Tedeschi G (2016) Lifestyle factors and migraine in childhood. Curr Pain Headache Rep 20(2):9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-016-0539-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Levy D, Strassman AM, Burstein R (2009) A critical view on the role of migraine triggers in the genesis of migraine pain. Headache 49:953–957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Öztop DB, Taşdelen Bİ, PoyrazoğLu HG, Ozsoy S, Yilmaz R, Şahın N, Per H, Bozkurt S (2016) Assessment of psychopathology and quality of life in children and adolescents with migraine. J Child Neurol 31(7):837–842. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073815623635

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Guidetti V, Arruda MA, Ozge A (2017) Headache and comorbidities in childhood and adolescence. Springer International Publishing

  5. Li F, Xiang J, Wu T, Zhu D, Shi J (2016) Abnormal resting-state brain activity in headache-free migraine patients: a magnetoencephalography study. Clin Neurophysiol 127(8):2855–2861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2016.05.015

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wu D, Zhou Y, Xiang J, et al (2016) Multi-frequency analysis of brain connectivity networks in migraineurs: a magnetoencephalography study. J Headache Pain 17:38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0636-7

  7. Yu D, Yuan K, Zhao L et al (2012) Regional homogeneity abnormalities in patients with interictal migraine without aura: a resting-state study. NMR Biomed 25(5):806–812

  8. Faragó P, Tuka B, Tóth E et al (2017) Interictal brain activity differs in migraine with and without aura: resting state fMRI study. J Headache Pain 18(1):8

  9. Jia Z, Yu S (2017) Grey matter alterations in migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroimage Clin 14:130–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2017.01.019

  10. Lo Buono V, Bonanno L, Corallo F, Pisani LR, Lo Presti R, Grugno R, di Lorenzo G, Bramanti P, Marino S (2017) Functional connectivity and cognitive impairment in migraine with and without aura. J Headache Pain 18(1):72. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0782-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Menon V, Uddin LQ (2010) Saliency, switching, attention and control: a network model of insula function. Brain Struct Funct 214(5–6):655–667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Borsook D, Veggeberg R, Erpelding N et al (2016) The insula: a “hub of activity” in migraine. Neuroscientist 22(6):632–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Xue T, Yuan K, Zhao L, Yu D, Zhao L, Dong T, Cheng P, von Deneen KM, Qin W, Tian J (2012) Intrinsic brain network abnormalities in migraines without aura revealed in resting-state fMRI. PLoS One 7(12):e52927

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Li W, Mai X, Liu C (2014) The default mode network and social understanding of others: what do brain connectivity studies tell us. Front Hum Neurosci 8:74. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00074

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Tessitore A, Russo A, Giordano A, Conte F, Corbo D, de Stefano M, Cirillo S, Cirillo M, Esposito F, Tedeschi G (2013) Disrupted default mode network connectivity in migraine without aura. J Headache Pain 14:89. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-14-89

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Coppola G, Di Renzo A, Tinelli E (2018) Resting state connectivity between default mode network and insula encodes acute migraine headache. Cephalalgia 38(5):846–854

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhang J, Su J, Wang M, Zhao Y, Yao Q, Zhang Q, Lu H, Zhang H, Wang S, Li GF, Wu YL, Liu FD, Shi YH, Li J, Liu JR, du X (2016) Increased default mode network connectivity and increased regional homogeneity in migraineurs without aura. J Headache Pain 17(1):98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Calandre EP, Bembibre J, Arnedo ML, Becerra D (2002) Cognitive disturbances and regional cerebral blood flow abnormalities in migraine patients: their relationship with the clinical manifestations of the illness. Cephalalgia 22(4):291–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Waldie KE, Hausmann M, Milne BJ, Poulton R (2002) Migraine and cognitive function: a life-course study. Neurology 59(6):904–908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Pearson AJ, Chronicle EP, Maylor EA, Bruce LA (2005) Cognitive function is not impaired in people with a long history of migraine: a blinded study. Cephalagia 26:74–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Le Pira F, Lanaia F, Zappala G et al (2004) Relationship between clinical variables and cognitive performances in migraineurs with and without aura. Funct Neurol 19:101–105

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Parisi P, Verrotti A, Paolino MC, Urbano A, Bernabucci M, Castaldo R, Villa MP (2010) Headache and cognitive profile in children:a cross-sectional controlled study. Headache 11:45–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Moutran ARC, Villa TR, Diaz LAS et al (2011) Migraine and cognition in children; a controlled study. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 69:192–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Riva D, Aggio F, Vago C et al (2006) Cognitive and behavioural effects of migraine in childhood and adolescence. Cephalalgia 26:596–603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Costa-Silva MA, Prado ACA, de Souza LC, Gomez RS, Teixeira AL (2016) Cognitive functioning in adolescents with migraine. Dement Neuropsychol 10(1):47–51. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1980-57642016DN10100009

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Chiappedi M, Mensi M, Antonaci E et al (2018) Intellectual profile of adolescents with headache: a case-control study using the WISC-IV. Front Neurol 9:128. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00128 eCollection 2018

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Chasman DI, Schürks M, Anttila V, de Vries B, Schminke U, Launer LJ, Terwindt GM, van den Maagdenberg AMJM, Fendrich K, Völzke H, Ernst F, Griffiths LR, Buring JE, Kallela M, Freilinger T, Kubisch C, Ridker PM, Palotie A, Ferrari MD, Hoffmann W, Zee RYL, Kurth T (2011) Genome-wide association study reveals three susceptibility loci for common migraine in the general population. Nat Genet 43(7):695–698. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.856

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Freilinger T, Anttila V, de Vries B (2012) Genome-wide association analysis identifies susceptibility loci for migraine without aura. Nat Genet 44(7):777–782. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.2307

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Gormley P, Anttila V, Winsvold BS (2016) Meta-analysis of 375,000 individuals identifies 38 susceptibility loci for migraine. Nat Genet 48(8):856–866

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Gasparini CF, Smith RA, Griffiths LR (2017) Genetic and biochemical changes of the serotonergic system in migraine pathobiology. J Headache Pain. 18:20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0711-0

  31. Yang Y, Zhao H, Heath AC et al (2017) Shared genetic factors underlie migraine and depression. Twin Res Hum Genet 19(4):341–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Minen MT, Begasse De Dhaem O, Kroon Van Diest A et al (2016) Migraine and its psychiatric comorbidities. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 87(7):741–749. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2015-312233

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Bremner JD (2006) Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 8(4):445–461

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Garnefski N, van Rood Y, de Roos C, Kraaij V (2017) Relationships between traumatic life events, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and somatic complaints. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 24(2):144–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-017-9494-y

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Klein SH (1983) Perception of stimulus intensity by migraine and non-migraine subjects. Headache 23(4):158–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Afifi TO, MacMillan HL, Boyle M et al (2016) Child abuse and physical health in adulthood. Health Rep 27(3):10–18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Tietjen GE, Karmakar M, Amialchuk AA (2017) Emotional abuse history and migraine among young adults: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the add health dataset. Headache 57(1):45–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12994

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Tietjen GE, Peterlin BL (2011) Childhood abuse and migraine: epidemiology, sex differences, and potential mechanisms. Headache 51(6):869–879

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Eising E, Datson N, van den Maagdenberg A, Ferrari MD (2013) Epigenetic mechanisms in migraine: a promising avenue? BMC Med 11:26. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-26

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Zachary F, Gerring ZF, McRae AF, Montgomery GW, Nyholt DR (2018) Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling in whole blood reveals epigenetic signatures associated with migraine. BMC Genomics 19:69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-018-4450-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Gerring ZF, Powell JE, Montgomery GW, Nyholt DR (2018) Genome-wide analysis of blood gene expression in migraine implicates immune-inflammatory pathways. Cephalalgia. 38(2):292–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102416686769

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Gatta M, Canetta E, Zordan M, Spoto A, Ferruzza E, Manco I, Addis A, Dal Zotto L, Toldo I, Sartori S, Battistella PA (2011) Alexithymia in juvenile primary headache sufferers: a pilot study. J Headache Pain 12:71–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-010-0248-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Gatta M, Spitaleri C, Balottin U, Spoto A, Balottin L, Mangano S, Battistella PA (2015) Alexithymic characteristics in pediatric patients with primary headache: a comparison between migraine and tension-type headache. J Headache Pain 16:98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Cerutti R, Valastro C, Tarantino S et al (2016) Alexithymia and psychopathological symptoms in adolescent outpatients and mothers suffering from migraines: a case control study. J Headache Pain 17:39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0640-y

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Natalucci G, Faedda N, Calderoni D, Cerutti R, Verdecchia P, Guidetti V (2018) Headache and alexithymia in children and adolescents: what is the connection? Front Psychol 9:48. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00048

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Guidetti V, Faedda N, Siniatchkin M (2016) Migraine in childhood: biobehavioural or psychosomatic disorder? J Headache Pain 17(1):82. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0675-0

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Amouroux R, Rousseau-Salvador C, Pillant M, Antonietti JP, Tourniaire B, Annequin D (2017) Longitudinal study shows that depression in childhood is associated with a worse evolution of headaches in adolescence. Acta Paediatr 106(12):1961–1965. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.13990

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Balottin L, Mannarini S, Candeloro D, Mita A, Chiappedi M, Balottin U (2018) Rorschach evaluation of personality and emotional characteristics in adolescents with migraine versus epilepsy and controls. Front Neurol 9:160. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00160

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Esposito M, Marotta R, Gallai B et al (2013) Temperamental characteristics in childhood migraine without aura: a multicenter study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 9:1187–1192. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S50458

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Balottin U, Fusar Poli P, Termine C, Molteni S, Galli F (2013) Psychopathological symptoms in child and adolescent migraine and tension-type headache: a meta-analysis. Cephalalgia 33(2):112–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Esposito M, Gallai B, Parisi L, (2013) Self-concept evaluation and migraine without aura in childhood. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 1061–6

  52. Antonaci F, Voiticovschi-Iosob C, Di Stefano AL et al (2014) The evolution of headache from childhood to adulthood: a review of the literature. J Headache Pain 15:15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1129-2377-15-15

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Barone L, Lionetti F, Dellagiulia A, Galli F, Molteni S, Balottin U (2015) Behavioural problems in children with headache and maternal stress: is children’s attachment security a protective factor? Infant Child Dev 25:502–515. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.1950

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Eidlitz-Markus T, Zeharia A (2018) Younger age of migraine onset in children than their parents: a retrospective cohort study. J Child Neurol 33(1):92–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073817739197

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Kandemir G, Hesapcioglu ST, Kurt ANC (2018) What are the psychosocial factors associated with migraine in the child? Comorbid psychiatric disorders, family functioning, parenting style, or mom’s psychiatric symptoms? J Child Neurol 33(2):174–181. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073817749377

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Akbarzadeh G, Daniali H, Javdzadh M, Caes L, Ranjbar S, Habibi M (2018) The relationship of parental pain catastrophizing with parents reports of children’s anxiety, depression, and headache severity. Iran J Child Neurol 12(1):55–66

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Wolff N, Darlington AS, Hunfeld J, Verhulst F, Jaddoe V, Hofman A, Passchier J, Tiemeier H (2010) Determinants of somatic complaints in 18-month-old children: the generation R study. J Pediatr Psychol 35(3):306–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Yürümez E, Akça ÖF, Uğur Ç, Uslu RI, Kılıç BG (2014) Mothers’ alexithymia, depression and anxiety levels and their association with the quality of mother-infant relationship: a preliminary study. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 18(3):190–196. https://doi.org/10.3109/13651501.2014.940055

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Faedda N, Natalucci G, Piscitelli S, Alunni Fegatelli D, Verdecchia P, Guidetti V (2018) Migraine and attachment type in children and adolescents: what is the role of trauma exposure? Neurol Sci 39(Suppl 1):109–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3368-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Williams R, Leone L, Faedda N, Natalucci G, Bellini B, Salvi E, Verdecchia P, Cerutti R, Arruda M, Guidetti V (2017) The role of attachment insecurity in the emergence of anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents with migraine: an empirical study. J Headache Pain 18(1):62. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-017-0769-3

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Neuroscience, Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, “Sapienza” University, Via dei Sabelli n°108, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Guidetti, Noemi Faedda & Giulia Natalucci

  2. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, “Sapienza” University, Rome, Italy

    Rita Cerutti

Authors
  1. Vincenzo Guidetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rita Cerutti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Noemi Faedda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Giulia Natalucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vincenzo Guidetti.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

This article does not contain any study with human subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guidetti, V., Cerutti, R., Faedda, N. et al. Migraine in childhood: an organic, biobehavioral, or psychosomatic disorder?. Neurol Sci 40 (Suppl 1), 93–98 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03827-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03827-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation