In a recent article, Cevdet Acarsoy, Daniel Bos, Sanne S. Mooldijk, M. Arfan Ikram, M. Kamran Ikram focused on the relationship between migraine and the risk of developing dementia, addressing a debated question in the field: does migraine constitute a risk factor for, or potentially protect against, later-life neurodegeneration?
The researchers conducted a prospective, population-based cohort study using data from the Rotterdam Study, including 6,888 participants. Migraine status was assessed between 2006 and 2011 through validated questionnaires. Participants were subsequently followed for a median of 9.4 years. Dementia cases were identified via in-person cognitive assessments and linkage to medical records, allowing for robust diagnostic classification. Statistical analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate associations between migraine and incident dementia, while adjusting for potential confounders.
Overall, 15.1% of participants reported migraine at baseline, and during follow-up, 491 individuals developed dementia, of whom the majority (77.2%) were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Contrary to some earlier assumptions, migraine was associated with a reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 0.70, 95% CI 0.51–0.95) and Alzheimer’s disease specifically (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40–0.85). These findings suggest that migraine is not linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and may, in fact, be associated with a lower likelihood of developing dementia.
In conclusion, the study results challenge previous hypotheses linking migraine to cognitive decline mechanisms, instead indicating a possible protective association. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The authors highlight the need for further longitudinal research incorporating biomarkers and neuroimaging to disentangle potential biological effects from methodological or selection-related factors.
Link to the full article: https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.71386
