Migraine and Suicidal Behaviors: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to provide a picture of suicidality (suicide ideation and behavior, both fatal and nonfatal) among indviduals with migraine.

Background: Migraine is a leading cause of disability around the world. Migraine may manifest with a number of symptoms, ranging from severe headaches to neurological sensory disturbances. Comorbid psychological conditions, such as depression, have also been linked to chronic migraine.

Data Sources: Articles were retrieved from SCOPUS, PubMed, Proquest, and Web of Science.

Search Terms: Suicid* AND migrain* in English-language peer-reviewed journals between January 1, 1966 and December 31, 2014.

Eligibility Criteria: Original research papers providing empirical evidence about the potential link between migraine and suicidal behaviors.

Results: Initial search identified 510 papers; the titles and abstracts of 360 unique results were examined for their relevance to the combination of migraine and suicidality. In total, 17 papers reporting original empirical analyses were included in this review.

Conclusions: Research has empirically documented a link between migraine and suicide ideation and behavior, particularly concerning the subtype of migraine with aura. Overall, nonfatal suicidal behavior among people with migraine has primarily been investigated, with only 2 studies analyzing suicide mortality. In addition, majority of studies originated from the United States or Canada (n=10). Future research should thoroughly define migraine and investigate link between migraine and suicide mortality.