--- title: Are migraines linked to menstrual mood disorders and childhood sexual abuse? description: Migraine with aura is much more common in women with menstrual mood disorders (11 out of 88 versus none out of 86 in controls), and women with both a mood dis url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-association-of-migraine-with-menstrually-related-mood-disorders-and-2013/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Are migraines linked to menstrual mood disorders and childhood sexual abuse? Case-control study, 2013 # Are migraines linked to menstrual mood disorders and childhood sexual abuse? Migraine with aura is much more common in women with menstrual mood disorders (11 out of 88 versus none out of 86 in controls), and women with both a mood disorder and childhood sexual abuse history have about 12 times higher risk. The study shows association but not cause. Moderate study design 174 women (96 with menstrual mood disorders, 78 controls; mean age 33.9 years) ## What they did Cross-sectional study of 174 women (average age 33.9 years). Researchers identified current menstrual mood disorders using daily symptom tracking, assessed childhood sexual abuse history through structured interviews, and diagnosed migraine using standard criteria. ## What they found 96 women met criteria for menstrually related mood disorder (21 with childhood sexual abuse history) and 78 were controls (16 with abuse history). Migraine with aura was significantly more prevalent in women with menstrual mood disorders (11/88 versus 0/86, p=0.001). Among women with menstrual mood disorders, childhood sexual abuse was associated with higher migraine with aura rates (6/21 versus 5/67, p=0.019). The combination of mood disorder and abuse history was associated with odds ratio 12.08 for migraine with aura (p<0.001). ## What it means for you Women with menstrual mood disorders have substantially higher risk of migraines with aura, especially those with a history of childhood sexual abuse. This is one cross-sectional study showing association but not whether one condition causes the other. 174 Total women studied 11/88 Women with mood disorder who had migraine with aura 12.08 Increased risk for migraine with aura (odds ratio) ## About the study Original title The association of migraine with menstrually related mood disorders and childhood sexual abuse Authors Bunevicius A, Rubinow DR, Calhoun A et al. Journal Journal of women's health (2002) Year 2013 Study design Case-control study Participants 174 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2013.4279](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2013.4279) ## Topics [Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2023 What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy? Cohort study, 2022 Can women accurately tell if they have period-related migraines, or do they need to track them? Guideline, 2021 How should migraine be managed in women, particularly menstrual migraine? Randomised trial, 2016 Does telcagepant prevent migraines during the menstrual period? Randomised trial, 2014 Does the combination of sumatriptan and naproxen sodium reduce menstrual symptoms and migraine? Randomised trial, 2005 Does sumatriptan work for migraines around the menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗