title: Sensitivity to aversive stimulation, posttraumatic symptoms and migraines: what do they have in common?
abstract: Studies have suggested that the high comorbidity observed between chronic migraine and anxiety disorders can be mediated through a third factor namely increased sensitivity to aversive stimulation. This trait may predispose for both chronic migraines, through medication overuse as an avoidance response, and anxiety disorders. Additional studies have shown that hyper sensitivity to aversive stimulation, migraine chronification and anxiety disorders share other characteristics such as serotonergic mediation and personality traits. Preliminary analysis of empirical data comparing the frequency the impact of traumatic events over chronic [CM] and episodic migraine [EM] patients gives further support to this hypothesis. In spite of CM and EM did not differ in terms of the occurrence of traumatic events, CM patients that had experienced at least one traumatic event during their lives had higher scores in re-experiencing and avoidance (but not in hyperarousal) symptoms than CM patients. These observations suggest that traumatic events have greater impact over CM than over EM patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, and Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa-Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corchs
authors.forename: Juliane P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mercante
authors.forename: Vera Z
authors.initials: VZ
authors.lastname: Guendler
authors.forename: Marcelo R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Masruha
authors.forename: Domingos Savio
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Marcio A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bernik
authors.forename: Eliova
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zukerman
authors.forename: Julio F P
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.forename: Mario F P
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Peres
mesh_terms: D001362:Avoidance Learning; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology*