Cognitive behaviour therapy tailored to migraine in multiple sclerosis: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Migraine frequently co-occurs with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), impacting patient quality of life.
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Migraine in Multiple Sclerosis (CBT-MMS) is a novel intervention targeting this comorbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a five-week CBT-MMS intervention in RRMS patients.
• To evaluate the preliminary efficacy of CBT-MMS on migraine frequency, duration, and associated symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 31 RRMS adults experiencing frequent migraines.
• Participants were randomized to either CBT-MMS or a nine-week waitlist control group.
• Feasibility was measured by retention and response rates; efficacy was assessed using multilevel modeling for primary and secondary outcomes.

Main Results:

• The CBT-MMS intervention demonstrated high feasibility with a 96.77% retention rate.
• Significant reductions in migraine days per month and migraine duration were observed in the CBT-MMS group post-treatment and at follow-up.
• Improvements were noted in anxiety, self-efficacy, and migraine-related disability, with no significant changes in other measured outcomes.

Conclusions:

• CBT-MMS is a feasible and potentially effective intervention for managing migraine in individuals with RRMS.
• These findings support the need for larger-scale trials to further validate CBT-MMS efficacy.