Parental-Offspring Associations between Migraine Subtypes and Symptoms: Sex and Age Specific Manifestations

Authors

• E Campbell
• T Lateef
• L Cui
• K Merikangas

Abstract

Diagnostic criteria for headache syndromes distinguish between migraine with and without aura in community samples. However, prospective research has demonstrated a lack of specificity of these two subtypes suggesting that there may be age and sex specific manifestations across the life span. The aims of this paper are: to examine the specificity of migraine subtypes; and to characterize the sex and age specific patterns of expression of the core features of migraine in a community-based family study of 584 adults with and without migraine and their 362 offspring, ages 12-60. There was significant association between migraine with or without aura in parents and offspring (risk ratio =2.95; 95% confidence interval =1.62- 5.39). Female offspring had a 1.99 risk ratio ( 95% confidence interval =1.22-3.26) but there was no difference in the sex of parent, suggesting that genetic factors do not explain the female preponderance of difference in migraine. However, there was no evidence for specificity of parent-offspring associations for migraine with and without aura suggesting that the two subtypes may reflect sex- or age-specific manifestations of a common diathesis underlying migraine or that other familial or genetic factors influence specific symptoms associated with migraine. Analyses of the specific symptoms and components of migraine diagnosis will be presented to distinguish common factors underlying familial transmission of migraine across development.

Scientific Focus Area: Neuroscience

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