Treatment of headache with antidepressant

Headache was classified, in conformity to the classification of headache as specified by the Ad Hoc Committee, into migraine, contraction and combined types and others. Tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine having pharmacological properties, which are said to relatively and uniquely inhibit the reuptake of serotonin in the synapses, was administered for headaches and the clinical effects on headaches were examined. Headaches assumed to be attributable to depression were excluded by means of quationing and Zung's self-rating depression scale. Furthermore, the MMPI, MPI and MAS mentality tests were also employed to clarify the characters and traits of these patients with headache. Also, the biochemical mechanism playing a part in the occurrence of headache was conjectured from the pharmacological action pattern of the antidepressant.