Psychiatric comorbidity and suicide risk in patients with chronic migraine

Abstract

Maurizio Pompili1,2, Gianluca Serafini1, Daniela Di Cosimo1, Giovanni Dominici1, Marco Innamorati1, David Lester3, Alberto Forte1, Nicoletta Girardi1, Sergio De Filippis4, Roberto Tatarelli1, Paolo Martelletti41Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 2McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston,  Massachusetts, USA; 3The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, USA; 4Department of Medical Sciences, Second School of Medicine, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyAbstract: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of mental illness among patients with migraine. We performed MedLine and PsycINFO searches from 1980 to 2008. Research has systematically documented a strong bidirectional association between migraine and psychiatric disorders. The relationship between migraine and psychopathology has often been clinically discussed rather than systematically studied. Future research should include sound methodologically-based studies focusing on the interplay of factors behind the relationship between migraine, suicide risk, and mental illness.Keywords: headache, migraine, suicide*, psychiatric disorders