title: [Personality traits in patients with chronic migraine: a categorial and dimensional study in a series of 30 patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenic role of personality in migraine has not yet been defined. It can be studied by means of dimensional or categorial measurement instruments, although there is no agreement as to the most suitable approach in this respect either.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the personality of patients with chronic migraine from the dimensional and categorial point of view.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Salamanca questionnaire as our categorial test and, as the dimensional test, we employed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Mood disorders were evaluated with the hospital anxiety and depression scale and the impact of migraine was determined by means of the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 30 patients (26 females), with a mean age of 40.7 ± 9.6 years. One case (3.3%) presented criteria for depression and four (13.3%) for anxiety. In the Salamanca test, the most common personality traits were those included within cluster C: anankastic (n = 28; 93.3%), anxious (n = 18; 60%) and dependent (n = 7; 23.3%). On the MMPI-2, 16 patients (53.3%) fulfilled criteria for hypochondria; 7 (23.3%) for depression; and 10 (33.3%) for hysteria, which are traits included within the neurotic triad. A pattern called 'conversion V' was observed. No correlation was found between the personality traits and the length of time with chronic migraine, the intensity measured by HIT-6 or the excessive use of symptomatic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the analysis of the personality in chronic migraine, what stood out from the dimensional point of view was neuroticism and as regards the categorial perspective, the obsessive-compulsive or anankastic trait was the most salient. More extensive series need to be conducted, together with comparisons with episodic migraine and population control.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Marta S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Piñero
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isidro
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mayor-Toranzo
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sotelo
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uribe
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinico Universitario, 47005 Valladolid, Espana.
authors.forename: Ángel L
authors.initials: ÁL
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Peral
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult