Biofeedback‐Assisted Relaxation in Migraine Headache: Relationship to Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity in the Middle Cerebral Artery

Vasudeva, Sachinder; Claggett, Alice L.; Tietjen, Gretchen E.; McGrady, Angele

doi:10.1046/j.1526-4610.2003.03048.x

Cited by 24 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…This mind-body technique may help to treat a wide range of mental and physical health problems controlling involuntary body responses such as blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension. The effectiveness of behavioural interventions is related to making patients aware of their bodies' physiologic responses, reducing anxiety and depression and inducing a muscular relaxation [6,7]. After the biofeedback sessions we observed an increase in NO bioavailability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Preventive non–pharmacological treatment and nitric oxide in chronic migraine

Ciancarelli

Massimo

et al. 2005

J Headache Pain

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In chronic migraine the central sensitisation and the changes of regional cerebral blood flow are mediated by nitric oxide (NO) and oxygen free radicals. Biofeedback is considered a preventive non–pharmacological treatment decreasing migraine attacks. We investigated whether biofeedback effectiveness is related to relaxation processes and its influence on oxidative stress. The Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS) and serum NO stable metabolites (NO x ) were evaluated in 20 patients with chronic migraine before and at the end of biofeedback sessions. MIDAS score was lower after biofeedback than that reported before treatment. NO x serum levels were higher after biofeedback than those measured before starting treatment. Thus, the effectiveness of biofeedback is related to a muscular relaxation and to its influence on NO bioavailability in patients with chronic migraine.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Preventive non–pharmacological treatment and nitric oxide in chronic migraine

Ciancarelli

Massimo

et al. 2005

J Headache Pain

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“…Limited evidence exists about the positive impact of stress reduction and improvement of depressive mood and anxiety [38], while strong evidence exists on the effect of pain reduction toward improvement in general emotional problems [27] and anxiety [39]. Limited evidence exists about the role of migraine frequency: patients with less frequent headaches reported lower anxiety levels [40], and those who underwent a reduction of headache frequency had an improvement in anxiety and mood level [41, 42], also in association with a good sense of self-efficacy [41].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of the psychosocial difficulties relevant to patients with migraine

Raggi¹,

Giovannetti²,

Quintas³

et al. 2012

J Headache Pain

108

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Migraine is a common disease which causes significant burden to individuals, in terms of personal suffering and activity reduction, and to societies, in terms of disease cost. The purpose of this study is to identify the most relevant psychosocial difficulties related to migraine, the variables associated with them and the most relevant determinants of their evolution over time. MEDLINE and PsychINFO were searched for studies published in English between 2000 and 2010 that examined psychosocial difficulties in persons with migraine with and without aura, from clinical trials and observational studies. Information on the description of each difficulty, its determinants of onset and change over time and associated variables were extracted and categorized at a higher level. In total, 34 difficulties have been collected from 51 papers: the most frequent were reduced vitality and fatigue, emotional problems, pain, difficulties at work, general physical and mental health, social functioning and global disability. Evidence exists that pharmacological treatments have an impact toward improvement in patients’ difficulties, in particular emotional problems, physical and mental health, difficulties with employment and global disability. Migraine treatments and decreased headaches frequency are the major determinants of improvements in psychosocial difficulties, while no information is available for determinants of worsening; understanding the role of such factors is of primary public health relevance, given the high prevalence and the relevant personal and societal costs of migraine.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10194-012-0482-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…The effectiveness of biofeedback in limiting chronic migraine symptoms was also linked to the muscular relaxation obtained by improving affective distress (20, 32). We also found a lower mean MIDAS score after biofeedback relaxation training compared with that measured before treatment, confirming the effectiveness of biofeedback in decreasing headache disability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship Between Biofeedback and Oxidative Stress in Patients With Chronic Migraine

Ciancarelli

Spacca

et al. 2007

Cephalalgia

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Chronic migraine (1.5.1) is burdened with headache-related disability. During noxious stimulation, changes of cerebral blood flow enhance the release of oxygen free radicals that react with nitric oxide (NO). We investigated the role of biofeedback in limiting migraine disability by influencing oxidative stress. Peroxides, NO and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analysed in 20 female subjects with chronic migraine and in 20 female healthy controls before and after biofeedback sessions. NO(x) levels (23.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 34.9 +/- 4.6 microm; P < 0.05) and SOD activity (6.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 8.0 +/- 0.7 U/ml; P < 0.05) were lower in migraine sufferers before treatment than in healthy controls, whereas peroxide levels (145.8 +/- 40.3 vs. 78.0 +/- 20.0 microm; P < 0.05) were higher in migraine sufferers before treatment than in healthy controls. In migraine sufferers NO(x) levels (23.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 31.3 +/- 7.1 microm; P < 0.05) and SOD activity (6.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 7.9 +/- 0.9 U/ml; P < 0.05) were lower before than after treatment, whereas peroxide levels (145.8 +/- 40.3 vs. 82.4 +/- 21.1 microm; P < 0.05) were higher before than after treatment. SOD serum activity correlated positively with NO(x) serum levels and negatively with peroxide serum levels in healthy controls and in chronic migraine sufferers before and after biofeedback. The mean Migraine Disability Assessment Score before biofeedback sessions was higher than after treatment (36.9 +/- 13.9 vs. 18.8 +/- 10.4; P < 0.001). The effectiveness of biofeedback in limiting chronic migraine may be related to muscular relaxation associated with decreased oxidative stress accompanied by psychological well-being.

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Biofeedback‐Assisted Relaxation in Migraine Headache: Relationship to Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity in the Middle Cerebral Artery

Abstract: The positive treatment response to biofeedback/relaxation in migraine headache is not related to presence of aura, nor to changes in blood flow velocity, but may be associated with reduction in anxiety and depression.

Cited by 24 publications

References 17 publications

Preventive non–pharmacological treatment and nitric oxide in chronic migraine

Preventive non–pharmacological treatment and nitric oxide in chronic migraine

A systematic review of the psychosocial difficulties relevant to patients with migraine

Relationship Between Biofeedback and Oxidative Stress in Patients With Chronic Migraine

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