Migraine in childhood: biobehavioural or psychosomatic disorder?

J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s10194-016-0675-0. Epub 2016 Sep 8.

Abstract

It is well documented that headache is a multifactorial disorder which includes not only genetic, biological, medical and neuropsychological factor but also psychological and personality traits. The close relationship between stress and migraine attacks and the significant psychiatric comorbidities in migraine provide evidence of a "paradigm" of tight interaction between somatic and psychological aspects in paediatric migraine. In particular in younger children, an uncomfortable situation, a psychological problem or an emotional distress is rarely expressed directly but usually through physical symptoms. So migraine may be considered as a disorder of psychobiological adaptation in which genetic predisposition interplays with internal and/or external environmental influences such as psycho-emotional, climatic, hormonal, dietary or other factors.

Keywords: Biobehavioural disorder; Migraine; Psychological comorbidities; Psychosomatic disorder.

Publication types

  • Editorial
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological / physiology*
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Humans
  • Migraine Disorders / etiology*
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / etiology*
  • Stress, Psychological / complications*