Migraines and depression are closely related, and this relationship is much more complex than just "chronic pain makes you feel bad". New research shows that if a person suffers from migraines, their risk of depression increases by 2.5 times! But the most interesting thing is that this relationship is two-way: depression also increases the likelihood of developing migraines, and it also contributes to headaches becoming chronic and more difficult to treat.
What's behind it?
Scientists at the Institute of Neurobiology in San Juan de Alacante have found that the common link between migraines and depression is serotonin, better known as the "happy hormone." Its level affects both headaches and mood. With migraines, the brain can produce too much serotonin, which causes attacks. In depression, on the contrary, there is a lack of this hormone, which leads to a depressed state.
Interestingly, anti-migraine drugs such as triptans reduce serotonin levels in the brain, which helps relieve pain. At the same time, antidepressants, on the other hand, increase serotonin, fighting depression. This confirms the theory that migraine and depression have common neurochemical mechanisms.
How does it affect the brain?
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown that people who have both migraines and depression experience a decrease in brain volume faster than those who have only one of these conditions. The areas of the brain responsible for processing pain, emotions, and stress are particularly affected.
For example, such people have reduced activity in the thalamus (the area of the brain that transmits pain signals), as well as in the medial prefrontal cortex, an important structure that regulates emotions. This may explain why depressed people experience physical pain more often, and migraines are accompanied by increased emotional sensitivity.
What about hormones?
Another factor is female hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are known to affect both of these conditions, and that is why women are more likely than men to suffer from both migraines and depression.
Sharp fluctuations in estrogen levels can trigger migraine attacks and contribute to depressive disorders. Since estrogens are involved in the regulation of serotonin, low levels can contribute to the development of both conditions. Moreover, they affect neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to adapt and change.
Progesterone, in turn, can modulate the transmission of pain signals, which may explain why some women have migraines that are exacerbated during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.
Is there any hope for a new treatment?
One of the new promising areas in the treatment of migraine and depression is the peptide CGRP (calcitonin-gene-related peptide). Its levels increase in people with migraines, and the administration of this substance can cause symptoms similar to migraine attacks. Interestingly, women with depression also have higher levels of this peptide, suggesting that CGRP may be a biomarker for both conditions.
Recent studies have shown that drugs that block CGRP can reduce not only headaches but also depressive symptoms. This opens up the possibility of creating new universal medicines that will simultaneously fight both migraines and depression.
Conclusion.
Although scientists have not yet uncovered all the details of the connection between migraine and depression, it is already clear that these conditions share common biological mechanisms, from serotonin levels to the functioning of certain brain regions and hormonal levels.
This knowledge will help to develop more effective treatments in the future that will take into account not only the symptoms but also the underlying neurobiological causes of these diseases. This gives us hope that one day people suffering from migraines or depression will be able to get a new generation of medications that will help them get rid of both problems at the same time.
Based on the article Understanding the Biological Relationship between Migraine and Depression.
At the Experio Medical Center, ketamine therapy and blockade of the stellate nerve node can effectively treat both depression and migraine.
