Association between migraine and mood disorders: a systematic review
Abstract
Introduction: Migraine is a disabling neurological disorder that frequently coexists with mood disorders. Major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are particularly relevant because they may influence migraine frequency, chronification, disability, treatment adherence, medication selection, and suicide risk. Objective: To systematically evaluate the association between migraine and depressive and bipolar disorders, emphasizing prevalence, temporal direction, migraine severity, disability, shared biological mechanisms, and clinical implications. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE was systematically searched from January 2000 through September 19, 2026, supplemented by backward and forward citation tracking. Eligible publications included adult observational studies, longitudinal cohorts, population-based investigations, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and genetic studies evaluating migraine in relation to major depressive disorder, depressive episodes, or bipolar disorder. Studies restricted to anxiety without a mood-disorder outcome were excluded. Depression screening scores were distinguished from formally diagnosed depressive disorders. Because of overlapping cohorts and substantial methodological heterogeneity, the evidence was synthesized narratively. Results: Twenty core publications were retained. A meta-analysis of 16 adult studies found that migraine was associated with approximately twice the odds of depression (odds ratio [OR] 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI]…
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