Migraine Tied to Lower Cognitive, Language Function

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Cognitive function and language function are lower in individuals with migraine versus those without, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online July 26 in The Journal of Headache and Pain.

Lihua Gu, from the Southeast University School of Medicine in Nanjing, China, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies comparing cognitive function between individuals with and without migraine.

Based on 22 included studies (3,295 migraine patients), the researchers found lower general cognitive function and language function in the migraine group versus the no-migraine group (standard mean differences, −0.40 and −0.14 for general cognitive function and language, respectively). There were no significant differences observed between the groups for visuospatial function, attention, executive function, or memory. There was a significant association between migraine and risk for dementia (odds ratio/relative risk, 1.30).

"Because of the association between migraine and cognitive impairment, neurological [physicians] should be vigilant and effectively intervene in migraineurs with high-risk factors of cognitive impairment to prevent the development of cognitive impairment," the authors write.

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