Decreased Openness to Experience Is Associated with Migraine-Type Headaches in Subjects with Lifetime Depression

Abstract

IntroductionMigraine and depression frequently occur as comorbid conditions, and it has been hypothesized that migraine with and without depression may have a different genetic background. A distinct personality trait constellation has been described in migraineurs. Less attention, however, was paid to personality differences in migraineurs with and without depression which may also shed light on differences in the neurobiological, background. The aim of our study was to investigate big five personality traits, headaches, and lifetime depression (DEP) in a large European general population sample.MethodsRelationship between DEP, Big Five Inventory personality traits, and headaches identified by the ID-Migraine Questionnaire were investigated in 3,026 individuals from Budapest and Manchester with multivariate and logistic regression analyses.ResultsBoth DEP and migraine(ID) showed differences in personality traits. Neuroticism was an independent risk factor for both conditions while a significant interaction effect appeared between the two in the case of openness. Namely, subjects with migraine(ID) and without DEP scored higher on openness compared to those who had depression.ConclusionWhile we confirmed previous results that high neuroticism is a risk factor for both depression and migraine, openness to experience was significantly lower in the co-occurrence of migraine and depression. Our results suggest that increased openness, possibly manifested in optimal or advantageous cognitive processing of pain experience in migraine may decrease the risk of co-occurrence of depression and migraine and thus may provide valuable insight for newer prevention and intervention approaches in the treatment of these conditions.

Phenomenological contribution to understanding of vocally disruptive behaviour: A clinical case study in a patient with dementia

“…Thus, we found low openness to experience in our patient. This is to some extent different from the association between high scores of neuroticism or consciousness and depression that has frequently been reported, including in patients with chronic headache . However, low openness to experience was correlated with the serotonin transporter promoter variant 5‐HTTLPR (short allele) in depressed patients suffering from headache .…”

“…This is to some extent different from the association between high scores of neuroticism or consciousness and depression that has frequently been reported, including in patients with chronic headache. 35,36 However, low openness to experience was correlated with the serotonin transporter promoter variant 5-HTTLPR (short allele) in depressed patients suffering from headache. 35,36 Specific serotonin transporter polymorphism may be associated with higher amygdala reactivity that is also found in BI.…”

“…35,36 However, low openness to experience was correlated with the serotonin transporter promoter variant 5-HTTLPR (short allele) in depressed patients suffering from headache. 35,36 Specific serotonin transporter polymorphism may be associated with higher amygdala reactivity that is also found in BI. 28,37 In addition, MT may be linked to a weak openness to experience and low novelty seeking that may be related to significant levels of social anxiety found in MT as well as separation anxiety and insecure attachment.…”

Predicting personality from network-based resting-state functional connectivity

“…Relationships between pain and Openness have been demonstrated in terms of a higher threshold for pain tolerance (Yadollahi et al 2014) and as protective factor in migraine occurrence (Magyar et al 2017) in individuals reporting higher levels of Openness. However, very little is known about the association between this trait and the neural correlates of pain.…”

Phenomenological Understanding of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Clinical Case Presenting Howls and Shouting. The Melancholic Type and Phenomenology of Separation

“…Otherwise, the low openness to experience are correlated with the serotonin transporter promoter variant 5-HTTLPR (short allele) in depressed patients suffering from headache, according to two recent studies [35,36]. High neuroticism was already known to be connected to depression and headache (Mrs R. suffers from migraine) [35,36]. That serotonin transporter polymorphism lead to higher amygdala's reactivity that is found in behavioral inhibition [28,37].…”