Sigrid Børte1,2, John-Anker Zwart1,2,3, Synne Øien Stensland2,4, Knut Hagen5,6, Bendik S Winsvold2,3. 1. 1 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 2. 2 Research and Communication Unit for Musculoskeletal Health, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål, Oslo, Norway. 3. 3 Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 4. 4 Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway. 5. 5 Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. 6. 6 Norwegian Advisory Unit on Headache, Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs University Hospital Trondheim, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Migraine is known to run in families. While some clinical studies have indicated that migraine is disproportionally transmitted through the maternal line, this has not been examined in a population-based setting. METHODS: We utilized a large, population-based cohort study from Norway, the HUNT Study. Using a cross-sectional design, our sample consisted of 13,731 parents and 8970 offspring. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for active migraine and non-migrainous headache in offspring, given active maternal or paternal headache. RESULTS: There was a significant association between maternal migraine and offspring migraine (odds ratio 2.76, 95% confidence interval 2.18-3.51). A weaker association ( p = 0.004 for comparison with maternal migraine) was found between paternal migraine and offspring migraine (odds ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.33-2.28). For non-migrainous headache, there was a significant association between mothers and offspring (odds ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.43), but not between fathers and offspring. CONCLUSIONS: Parental migraine is associated with offspring migraine, with a stronger association for maternal migraine. This may indicate maternal-specific transmission.
BACKGROUND:Migraine is known to run in families. While some clinical studies have indicated that migraine is disproportionally transmitted through the maternal line, this has not been examined in a population-based setting. METHODS: We utilized a large, population-based cohort study from Norway, the HUNT Study. Using a cross-sectional design, our sample consisted of 13,731 parents and 8970 offspring. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for active migraine and non-migrainous headache in offspring, given active maternal or paternal headache. RESULTS: There was a significant association between maternal migraine and offspring migraine (odds ratio 2.76, 95% confidence interval 2.18-3.51). A weaker association ( p = 0.004 for comparison with maternal migraine) was found between paternal migraine and offspring migraine (odds ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.33-2.28). For non-migrainous headache, there was a significant association between mothers and offspring (odds ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.43), but not between fathers and offspring. CONCLUSIONS: Parental migraine is associated with offspring migraine, with a stronger association for maternal migraine. This may indicate maternal-specific transmission.