Executive functions in migraine patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Migraine, a common neurological disease, is known to impact the quality of life of individuals with this condition.

Methods: We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the abnormalities associated with executive functions of migraineurs as compared with healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the differences between patients with and without aura.

Results: A total of 25 studies were included in the systematic review and 19 in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models, with the unit of analysis as the standardised mean difference (calculated as Hedges’g). Patients with migraine had worse performance in the trail making test A (g = 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05–0.74; p = 0.0271) and B (g = 0.40; 95% CI 0.16–0.64; p = 0.0026), and digit span backward test (g = –0.20; 95% CI – 0.31, – 0.09; p = 0.0105). Subgroup analysis revealed no difference between migraine with and without aura.

Conclusion: These results suggest that migraine patients may present worse performance for specific executive functional domains, including attention, working memory, and mental flexibility.

KEYWORDS:

• Migraine
• executive function
• systematic review
• meta-analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Luciane Kaiser Pinotti

Luciane Kaiser Pinotti is a Psychologist and Neuropsychologist and master student of the Postgraduate Program in Internal Medicine and Health Sciences (PPGMICS) Federal University of Paraná (UFPR).

Anderson da Silva Castro

Anderson da Silva Castro is a Psychologist in the neurology service at Hospital de Clinicas do Paraná, in Curitiba – PR.

Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira Garcia

Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira Garcia, MD is a Psychiatrist.

Pedro Henrique Pereira Alvim

Pedro Henrique Pereira Alvim, MD is a Psychiatrist.

Thiago Henrique Roza

Thiago Henrique Roza, MD, PhD is a Psychiatrist.

Fabiana Antunes Andrade

Fabiana Antunes Andrade is a Biologist in Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) – Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology.

Pedro André Kowacs

Pedro André Kowacs, MD is a Neurologist in Hospital de Clinicas do Paraná (UFPR).

Raffael Massuda

Raffael Massuda MD, PhD is a Psychiatrist, Professor of Psychiatry at Federal University of Paraná (UFPR).