Bidirectional association between migraine and depression among probands and unaffected siblings: A nationwide...

Evidence suggests a bidirectional association between migraine and depression in individuals and in twins. However, whether a bidirectional association between migraine and depression also occurs among siblings (probands and unaffected nontwin siblings) remains unknown.

Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we examined the data of 1504 probands with migraine, 1595 unaffected siblings, and 6380 nonmigrainous controls born before 2000 to identify new-onset depression for the period between 1996 and 2011. Conversely, 31824 probands with depression, 34325 unaffected siblings, and 137300 nondepressive controls were examined for the identification of new-onset migraine.

Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that compared with the controls, patients with migraine (odds ratio [OR]: 4.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.75-4.46) and unaffected siblings (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.24-1.58) were more likely to develop depression during the follow-up period. Moreover, patients with depression and unaffected siblings had a 4.13-fold (95% CI: 3.18-5.36) and 1.45-fold (95% CI: 1.03-2.05) increased risk of migraine.

The bidirectional association between migraine and depression among probands and unaffected siblings suggests a familial coaggregation of these two conditions. Additional studies are required to investigate the genetic and environmental etiologies for this coaggregation.