Frontal lobe dysfunction in patients with chronic migraine: a clinical–neuropsychological study

Mongini, Franco; Keller, Roberto; Deregibus, Andrea; Barbalonga, Erica; Mongini, Tullia

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2003.12.028

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Volume 133, Issue 1 , Pages 101-106, 30 January 2005

Frontal lobe dysfunction in patients with chronic migraine: a clinical–neuropsychological study

Franco Mongini
- Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Headache and Facial Pain Unit, University of Turin, 14 Corso Dogliotti, I-10126 Torino, Italy
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 11 6334041; fax: +39 11 6636489.
Roberto Keller
- Department of Mental Health, Ospedale Amedeo di Savoia, 164 Corso Svizzera, I-10100 Torino, Italy
Andrea Deregibus
- Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Headache and Facial Pain Unit, University of Turin, 14 Corso Dogliotti, I-10126 Torino, Italy
Erica Barbalonga
- Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Headache and Facial Pain Unit, University of Turin, 14 Corso Dogliotti, I-10126 Torino, Italy
Tullia Mongini
- Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Headache and Facial Pain Unit, University of Turin, 14 Corso Dogliotti, I-10126 Torino, Italy

Received 9 January 2003; received in revised form 29 August 2003; accepted 6 December 2003.

Abstract

Neuropsychological tests have demonstrated a frontal lobe dysfunction in several psychiatric and neurological disorders. Our purpose was to examine whether similar functional differences would be found in patients with chronic migraine. The Gambling Task (GT), the Tower of Hanoi-3 (TOH-3) and the Object Alternation Test (OAT) were administered to 23 female patients previously treated for chronic migraine and to 23 healthy women who were similar to the patients in age and educational level, and the mean test scores of the two groups were compared (Student's t and Pearson correlation coefficient). The patient group scored significantly higher than the controls on the TOH-3 and, especially, the OAT. In the patients, no significant relationship was found between the neuropsychological test scores and those for the Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). In conclusion, the data suggest a relation between chronic headache and dorsolateral function (as tested by the TOH-3) and orbitofrontal function (as tested by the OAT). The decision-making function related to ventromedial prefrontal cortex (tested by the GT) did not show a statistically significant difference between patients and controls. These neuropsychological findings seem to be partly independent of the patient's psychological traits and psychiatric disorders.

Keywords: Gambling Task, Tower of Hanoi, Object Alternation Test, Headache