Occurrence of Migraine in Women with Bipolar Disorder in South Indian population

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder is an episodic psychiatric illness characterized by episodes of mania and hypomania. Presentation of bipolar disorder differs in women as compared to men, due to frequent occurrence of comorbidities like migraine, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, etc. Migraine is one of the most disabling primary headaches and is more commonly seen in women with bipolar disorder. Women with migraine also tend to have more frequent mood episodes and greater psychosocial impairment. There are limited studies conducted on migraine and bipolar disorder in women in India. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the co-occurrence of Migraine in women with Bipolar Affective Disorder METHODOLOGY: Women with Bipolar Affective Disorder, who visited the Psychiatry Out Patient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India, were evaluated for the presence of migraine headache using the International Headache Society criteria for diagnosis. RESULTS: Out of 80 subjects, 40% (N = 32) women with Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) were also suffering from Migraine. 38.2% (N = 13) women with Type 1 BPAD had migraine; while 61.7% (N = 21) women with Type 2 BPAD had migraine. CONCLUSION: Migraine is a frequent complaint in women with bipolar disorder. It was more commonly seen in women with BPAD type 2. As the presence of migraine affects course and treatment response in women with bipolar disorder, it emphasizes on the importance of detailed evaluation and further research in the area.