Elsevier

Psychiatry Research

Volume 37, Issue 1, April 1991, Pages 11-23
Psychiatry Research

Migraine, psychiatric disorders, and suicide attempts: An epidemiologic study of young adults

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1781(91)90102-UGet rights and content

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of migraine and the risks for psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts associated with it, we studied a random sample of 1,007 young adults from a large Health Maintenance Organization in the Detroit, MI area. The lifetime prevalence of migraine was 7% in males and 16.3% in females. The rate of migraine was higher in persons with lower education and was equal in whites and blacks. Persons with migraine were at increased risk for affective and anxiety disorders, nicotine dependence, and alcohol or illicit drug abuse or dependence. There was a consistent trend toward higher psychiatric comorbidity in migraine with aura than in migraine without aura. Coexisting anxiety, which generally preceded migraine, was associated with a marked increase in the odds of major depression. Persons with migraine had higher rates of suicide attempts than persons without migraine. The odds ratio for suicide attempts, adjusted for coexisting major depression and other psychiatric and substance use disorders, in migraine with aura was 3.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.4–6.6). The coexistence of migraine with major depression, anxiety disorders, and suicide attempts has important clinical and research implications.

References (42)

  • J. Brandt et al.

    Personality and emotional disorder in a community sample of migraine headache sufferers

    American Journal of Psychiatry

    (1990)
  • A. Breier et al.

    Major depression in patients with agoraphobia and panic disorder

    Archives of General Psychiatry

    (1984)
  • M.S. Buchsbaum et al.

    The biochemical high risk paradigm: Behavioral and familial correlates of low platelet monoamine oxidase activity

    Science

    (1976)
  • C.R. Cloninger et al.

    The empirical structure of psychiatric comorbidity and its theoretical significance

  • W. Coryell et al.

    Excess mortality in panic disorder: A comparison with primary unipolar depression

    Archives of General Psychiatry

    (1982)
  • A.H. Crisp et al.

    Some clinical, social and psychological characteristics of migraine subjects in the general population

    Postgraduate Medical Journal

    (1977)
  • G. D'Andrea et al.

    Platelet serotonin metabolism and ultrastructure in migraine

    Archives of Neurology

    (1989)
  • W.W. Eaton et al.

    Distinguishing anxiety and depression with field survey data

    Psychological Medicine

    (1988)
  • S.B.G. Eysenck et al.

    A revised version of the Psychoticism scale

    Personality and Individual Differences

    (1985)
  • D.K. Freeborn et al.

    Health status, utilization, and satisfaction among enrollees in three type of private health insurance plans

    Group Health Journal

    (1982)
  • F.K. Goodwin et al.

    Manic-Depressive Illness

  • Cited by (0)

    Both Drs. Breslau and Davis are also affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI.

    View full text