People with migraine twice as likely to develop Parkinson's

A new study has revealed that migraine suffers may be at greater risk for developing Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders later in life.

According to the study, those who have migraine with aura may be at double the risk for developing these disorders.

Study author Ann I. Scher said that migraine is the most common neurologic disorder in both men and women and it has been linked in other studies to cerebrovascular and heart disease. This new possible association is one more reason research is needed to understand, prevent and treat the condition.

The study found that people with migraine with aura were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's as people with no headaches. A total of 2.4 percent of those with migraine with aura had the disease, compared to 1.1 percent of those with no headaches. People with migraine with aura had 3.6 times the odds of reporting at least four of six parkinsonian symptoms, while those with migraine with no aura were 2.3 times the odds of these symptoms. Overall, 19.7 percent of those with migraine with aura had symptoms, compared to 12.6 percent of those with migraine with no aura and 7.5 percent of those with no headaches. Women with migraine with aura were also more likely to have a family history of Parkinson's disease compared to those with no headaches.

The risk of RLS was increased for people with all types of headache. A total of 20 percent of those with no headaches had RLS, compared to 28 percent of those with headaches with no migraine symptoms and 30 percent of those with migraine with aura.

The study was published online in Neurology.