Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of chronotype on migraine characteristics

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

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate chronotype in migraine patients and possible influences on the clinical expression of the disease.

Methods

During a one-year period, all consecutive patients admitted to two third-level headache centres with a new diagnosis of migraine were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. All subjects were submitted to the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-SA) and then classified in five different categories, from late to early-rising chronotype. Differences and trends among MEQ-SA categories and years from migraine onset, attacks’ intensity and frequency were analysed first with analysis of variance, then with a multivariate/generalized linear model.

Results

One hundred seventy one migraine patients were included. Early-rising patients showed a lower migraine attacks frequency and longer disease duration with respect to late-rising patients. The categorical variable containing the five circadian types was able to identify a significantly different trend both for the monthly attacks frequency and for the disease duration (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively, analysis of variance). The results were also confirmed after correction for main influencing variables (multivariate/generalized linear model). The intensity of migraine attacks was not influenced by chronotype.

Conclusions

According to the results of the present study, chronotype seems to influence number and duration of migraine attacks. Although sleep–wake cycle is a well-recognized factor able to influence thalamic–cortical synchronization, it usually does not receive appropriate consideration during migraine patients’ assessment.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Golombek DA, Rosenstein RE (2010) Physiology of circadian entrainment. Physiol Rev 90(3):1063–1102. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00009.2009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Zee PC, Attarian H, Videnovic A (2013) Circadian rhythm abnormalities. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 19(1):132–147. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.CON.0000427209.21177.aa

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Videnovic A, Lazar AS, Barker RA, Overeem S (2014) ‘The clocks that time us’--circadian rhythms in neurodegenerative disorders. Nat Rev Neurol 10(12):683–693. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2014.206

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Grandin LD, Alloy LB, Abramson LY (2006) The social zeitgeber theory, circadian rhythms, and mood disorders: review and evaluation. Clin Psychol Rev 26:679–694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.07.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Vgontzas A, Cui L, Merikangas KR (2008) Are sleep difficulties associated with migraine attributable to anxiety and depression? Headache 48(10):1451–1459. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01175.x

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Burish MJ, Chen Z, Yoo SH (2018) Emerging relevance of circadian rhythms in headaches and neuropathic pain. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 3:e13161

    Google Scholar 

  7. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) (2013) The international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition (beta version). Cephalalgia 33(9):629–808. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102413485658

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Beck AT, Steer RA, Ball R, Ranieri WF (1996) Comparison of Beck Depression Inventories -IA and -II in psychiatric outpatients. J Pers Assess 67(3):588–597. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa6703_13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cavallera GM, Boari G (2015) Validation of the Italian Version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire for adolescents by A. Lancry and Th. Arbault. Med Sci Monit 10(21):2685–2693. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.894091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Horne J, Östberg O (1976) A self-assessment questionnaire to determine morningness-eveningness in human circadian rhythms. Int J Chronobiol 4:97–110

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hjermstad MJ, Fayers PM, Haugen DF, Caraceni A, Hanks GW, Loge JH, Fainsinger R, Aass N, Kaasa S, European Palliative Care Research Collaborative (EPCRC) (2011) Studies comparing Numerical Rating Scales, Verbal Rating Scales, and Visual Analogue Scales for assessment of pain intensity in adults: a systematic literature review. J Pain Symptom Manag 41(6):1073–1093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.08.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Tonetti L, Fabbri M, Filardi M, Martoni M, Natale V (2015) Effects of sleep timing, sleep quality and sleep duration on school achievement in adolescents. Sleep Med 16:936–940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2015.03.026

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Viticchi G, Silvestrini M, Falsetti L, Lanciotti C, Cerqua R, Luzzi S, Provinciali L, Bartolini M (2011) Time delay from onset to diagnosis of migraine. Headache 51(2):232–236. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01778.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Smolensky MH, Portaluppi F, Manfredini R, Hermida RC, Tiseo R, Sackett-Lundeen LL, Haus EL (2015) Diurnal and twenty-four hour patterning of human diseases: acute and chronic common and uncommon medical conditions. Sleep Med Rev 21:12–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.06.005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Harper DG, Stopa EG, McKee AC et al (2004) Dementia severity and Lewy bodies affect circadian rhythms in Alzheimer disease. Neurobiol Aging 25:771–781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2003.04.009

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Verbaan D, van Rooden SM, Visser M, Marinus J, van Hilten JJ (2008) Nighttime sleep problems and daytime sleepiness in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord 23:35–41. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.21727

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Vernieri F, Tibuzzi F, Pasqualetti P, Altamura C, Palazzo P, Rossini PM, Silvestrini M (2008) Increased cerebral vasomotor reactivity in migraine with aura: an autoregulation disorder? A transcranial Doppler and near-infrared spectroscopy study. Cephalalgia 28:689–695. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01579.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hale JR, White TP, Mayhew SD, Wilson RS, Rollings DT, Khalsa S, Arvanitis TN, Bagshaw AP (2016) Altered thalamocortical and intra-thalamic functional connectivity during light sleep compared with wake. Neuroimage 125:657–667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.041

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. May A (2017) Understanding migraine as a cycling brain syndrome: reviewing the evidence from functional imaging. Neurol Sci 38(Suppl 1):125–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-2866-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. de Tommaso M, Ambrosini A, Brighina F, Coppola G, Perrotta A, Pierelli F, Sandrini G, Valeriani M, Marinazzo D, Stramaglia S, Schoenen J (2014) Altered processing of sensory stimuli in patients with migraine. Nat Rev Neurol 10(3):144–155. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2014.14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. de Tommaso M, Stramaglia S, Marinazzo D, Trotta G, Pellicoro M (2013) Functional and effective connectivity in EEG alpha and beta bands during intermittent flash stimulation in migraine with and without aura. Cephalalgia 33(11):938–947. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102413477741

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Singh NN, Sahota P (2013) Sleep-related headache and its management. Curr Treat Options Neurol 15(6):704–722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-013-0258-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kelman L (2006) Pain characteristics of the acute migraine attack. Headache 46(6):942–953. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00443.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kelman L (2007) The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalalgia 27(5):394–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01303.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Rains JC, Poceta JS (2006) Headache and sleep disorders: review and clinical implications for headache management. Headache 46(9):1344–1363. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00578.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Viticchi G, Falsetti L, Bartolini M et al (2018) Migraine: incorrect self-management for a disabling disease. Neurol Int 10(1):7510. https://doi.org/10.4081/ni.2018.7510

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Yang X, Liu B, Yang B, Li S, Wang F, Li K, Hu F, Ren H, Xu Z (2018) Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in individuals with migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Neurol Sci 39(11):1927–1934. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3527-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Akdag Uzun Z, Kurt S, Karaer Unaldi H (2018) The relationship with restless legs syndrome, fibromyalgia, and depressive symptoms in migraine patients. Neurol Sci 39(8):1409–1414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3438-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Schulte LH, May A (2016) The migraine generator revisited: continuous scanning of the migraine cycle over 30 days and three spontaneous attacks. Brain 139:1987–1993. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aww097

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Cevoli S, Nicodemo M, Grimaldi D, Leonardi L, Montagna P, Cortelli P, Pierangeli G (2010) Chronotypes in menstrual migraine: a case-control study. Neurol Sci 31(Suppl 1):S163–S164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-010-0315-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Hofstra WA, van der Palen J, deWeerd AW (2012) Morningness and eveningness: when do patients take their antiepileptic drugs? Epilepsy Behav 23:320–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.12.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Manni R, Cremascoli R, De Icco R et al (2015) Chronotype in patients with epilepsy: a controlled study in 60 subjects with late-onset focal epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 50:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.05.031

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Masruha MR, Lin J, de Souza Vieira DS, Minett TSC, Cipolla-Neto J, Zukerman E, Vilanova LCP, Peres MFP (2010) Urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin levels are depressed in chronic migraine and several comorbidities. Headache 50(3):413–419. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01547.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Gelfand A, Goadsby PJ (2016) The role of melatonin in the treatment of primary headache disorders. Headache 56(8):1257–1266. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12862

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Masruha MR, de Souza Vieira DS, Minett TS et al (2008) Low urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin concentrations in acute migraine. J Headache Pain 9(4):221–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-008-0047-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurological Clinic, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Conca 1, 60100, Ancona, Italy

    Giovanna Viticchi, Laura Buratti, Sergio Salvemini, Marco Bartolini & Mauro Silvestrini

  2. Internal and Subintensive Medicine, Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy

    Lorenzo Falsetti

  3. Neurology Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy

    Matteo Paolucci, Claudia Altamura, Nicoletta Brunelli & Fabrizio Vernieri

Authors
  1. Giovanna Viticchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lorenzo Falsetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matteo Paolucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Claudia Altamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Laura Buratti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sergio Salvemini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Nicoletta Brunelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Marco Bartolini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Fabrizio Vernieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Mauro Silvestrini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giovanna Viticchi.

Ethics declarations

The ethics committees of Marche Polytechnic University and Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome approved the study.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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

Viticchi, G., Falsetti, L., Paolucci, M. et al. Influence of chronotype on migraine characteristics. Neurol Sci 40, 1841–1848 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03886-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03886-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation