Abstract
Background/Objectives Migraine, a common neurological disorder, exhibits an increased prevalence from adolescence to adulthood, impacting productivity and leading to missed school or work days. Earlier research, prior to 2010, suggests a connection between migraines and suicide. In the context of global interest in suicide prevention, we scrutinized literature from diverse, predominantly non-European populations post-2010. This review systematically analyses the existing literature to explore the association between migraines and suicidal behaviours, focusing on studies published from January 2010 onwards.
Methods The systematic review utilized databases such as Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE (Ovid), Science Direct (Elsevier), Cochrane, and PubMed, covering publications from January 2010 onwards. Participants aged 16 and above diagnosed with migraines were included, focusing on outcome variables like any suicidality, fatal and non-fatal; suicidal ideation; and suicidal behaviour.
Results Database searches yielded 842 citations, with 761 articles excluded after title and abstract screening. A total of 20 citations underwent evaluation, leading to the exclusion of 10 non-eligible studies during full-text review. Ultimately, 10 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in the systematic review.
Conclusion/Discussion Existing research underscores a significant association between an elevated risk of suicidal behaviours in both clinical and general populations among chronic migraineurs, with or without aura, worldwide. Future studies are imperative to establish clinical guidelines for risk assessment, targeted interventions, and evidence-based migraine treatment, aiming to mitigate the risk of suicide within this vulnerable population.
