Migraine is associated with an increased risk for all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to research published in Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. Investigators conducted a meta-analysis to examine the potential association between the conditions, using data from five published cohort studies with nearly 250,000 individuals. Migraine was associated with an increased risk for all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in a pooled analysis (risk ratios, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.13-1.59] and 2.49 [95% CI, 1.16-5.32], respectively). No association was seen between migraine and risk for vascular dementia (risk ratio, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.77-2.96). “Our meta-analysis suggests that migraine is a potential risk indicator for dementia,” the authors wrote. “More research is needed to corroborate this finding and elucidate possible pathophysiological mechanisms, and importantly, investigate whether treatment of migraine might positively influence the risk of developing dementia.”
Osmophobia Prevalent in Patients With Migraine
Osmophobia is prevalent among patients with different migraine subtypes, and it also occurs in some patients with tension-type headaches, according to a study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain. Researchers conducted an observational retrospective cohort study involving patients aged 18-65 diagnosed with migraine without aura, migraine with aura, chronic migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. A subgroup of patients with migraine prescribed preventive treatment was also selected and examined after a 3-month follow-up. Overall, 37.9% of patients reported osmophobia. Patients with different migraine subtypes had osmophobia, though it was absent in patients with episodic tension-type headache and cluster headache. Patients experiencing headaches with osmophobia presented with longer headache duration, more severe anxiety, depression, allodynia, and headache intensity. Patients with tension-type headaches with osmophobia presented with more frequent headaches and anxiety. After 3 months of treatment, 711 patients with migraine with and without osmophobia had similar changes in main migraine features.
