Migraine and Concomitant Symptoms Among 8167 Adult Twin Pairs

Abstract

We studied the inheritance of migraine and concomitant symptoms among 2690 monozygotic (1524 female and 1166 male) pairs and 5497 dizygotic (2951 female and 2546 male) twin pairs. Our material consists of a population-based questionnaire study among Finnish twins in 1981. The definition of migraine is based on a questionnaire method. Concordance was assessed using probandwise concordance rates and tetrachoric correlations for monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. For estimating the contribution of genetic factors to the susceptibility of migraine, a polygenic multifactorial model was used. Structural equation models were applied for estimating variance components and to compare different genetic models. Nearly one-half (40% to 50%) of the liability to migraine is attributable to genetic factors. In all structural analyses, the model with both additive genetic and unshared environmental component had the best goodness-of-fit value. The genetic component varied between 34% to 51% in different migraine types. There were no remarkable differences between sexes except in the effects due to dominance, where the proportion was 26% for men and 14% for women. Concomitant symptoms among subjects within pairs concordant for headache had genetic effects varying from 56% (subjects with unilaterality) and 56% (subjects with visual symptoms) to 45% (persons with nausea and vomiting). The two threshold model of headache points to the continuum model of headache, and the thresholds represent different levels of severity of the pain. Our results emphasize a multifactorial and higher than previously reported genetic pattern in the etiology of migraine. Also unshared environmental factors play an important role.

Heritability of migraine as a function of definition

“…In this work we replicate previous findings of a major genetic effect for migraine [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The main genetic and environmental architecture of migraine appears to be remarkably stable across Swedish birth cohorts (Table 5).…”

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Migraine: A Twin Study Across Six Countries

“…Quantitative genetic modelling of twin data quantifies the contribution of genes and environment, showing that the relative importance of genes (heritability) to the liability of migraine is 40-60% and that the contribution of non-shared environmental factors is 35-55% but shared environmental factors seem to have no impact at all. Honkasalo et al, 1995;Larsson et al, 1995;Ulrich et al, 1999;Ziegler et al, 1998).…”

“…In the older cohort assessed in 1981, twins were defined as having migraine if they responded affirmatively to the dichotomous question "Have you suffered from headache attacks during the previous year? ", and if so, whether the attacks were associated specifically with any of the following three symptoms: visual disturbances, nausea or vomiting, and unilateral location, as described by Honkasalo et al (1995). The younger twins of the FinnTwin16 study were asked whether a physician had ever told them they had had migraine.…”

“…Last two columns denote mean MZ and DZ (including OS) correlations. Dutch sample was split in two age groups: 1 18-35, 2 36-68; 3 younger cohort FinnTwin16; 4 older Finnish cohort Honkasalo (1995) data. * DOS pairs were always ordered as male-female, regardless of birth order.…”

Fisiopatologia da enxaqueca

“…Outro estudo recente avaliou que familiares de primeiro grau de enxaquecosos teriam 50% mais chance de apresentar a doença, todavia não significativo 52 . Estudos em gêmeos têm também confirmado a importância da influência genética na enxaqueca 53 .…”