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Analytic information processing style in migraineurs

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Abstract

Despite great advances in pathophysiological facets of migraine that have been made during recent years, as of today, migraine etiology is still not completely understood; moreover, to date the relationship between psychological factors and this primary headache must be further elucidated. However, abnormal information processing, as measured by evoked and event-related potentials, has been considered a key feature in migraine pathogenesis. The aim of this work was to study the relationships between analytic/global style of information processing and migraine, hypothesizing an analytic style, as highlighted by our previous study on cluster headache. This study applied three cognitive style tests never previously used in the context of migraine: “Sternberg–Wagner Self-Assessment Inventory”, the C. Cornoldi test series called AMOS, and Brain-Dominance Questionnaire. 280 migraneurs with and without aura were tested and matched with two control groups: healthy subjects and tension-type headache patients. Our results demonstrated a strong correlation between analytic information processing style and migraine, indicating a preference toward a visual sensory approach in migraine without aura, in line with known neuroelectrophysiological data. These findings may suggest a role for this specific cognitive behavior in migraine pathogenesis, leading us to further investigate the neuroelectrophysiological, neurobiological, and epigenetic correlates.

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Abbreviations

CH:

Cluster headache

ICHD:

International Classification of Headache Disorders

MA:

Migraine with aura

MO:

Migraine without aura

ETTH:

Episodic tension-type headache

CTTH:

Chronic tension-type headache

TTH:

Tension-type headache

TSI:

Thinking Style Inventory

QSC:

Cognitive Style Questionnaire

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Raffaella Policastro, Valentina Retrosi and Kim Walther for their support in preparing the paper and are extremely grateful to Prof. Giuliano Avanzini for his precious advice and critical comments.

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None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Internal Medicine VI, Headache Center, ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Di Sabato & Marzia Buonfiglio

  2. Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council (CNR-IBCN), Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015, Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy

    Silvia Mandillo

Authors
  1. Francesco Di Sabato
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  2. Marzia Buonfiglio
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  3. Silvia Mandillo
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Correspondence to Francesco Di Sabato.

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Di Sabato, F., Buonfiglio, M. & Mandillo, S. Analytic information processing style in migraineurs. Neurol Sci 34, 1145–1150 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1193-8

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