Download PDF
Neuropediatrics
DOI: 10.1055/a-2505-8261
Review Article

Inheritance of Primary Headache in Children and Adolescents—A Scoping Review

Camille C. H. Winther
1   Department of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev and Gentofte, Herlev, Denmark
,
Amalie A. Berring-Uldum 
1   Department of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev and Gentofte, Herlev, Denmark
,
Nanette Mol Debes 
1   Department of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Herlev and Gentofte, Herlev, Denmark
2   Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
› Further Information
Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The objective is to give an update on the current state of research on the genetics of primary headache in children and adolescents. Investigations of the genetics of migraine in adults have changed our understanding of the pathophysiology of migraine, but knowledge from our adult patients cannot be directly applied to pediatric patients. The study was conducted through searches of PubMed and Web of Science. Our search yielded 10 studies. Some of the included studies elucidated correlations between certain characteristics of the headaches in parents and an elevated risk of headache in their children. The follow-up studies found that about one-third of the participants were headache-free at the time of follow-up and about one in four had shifted to a different headache diagnosis. All studies included in this paper found a familial aggregation or heritability of primary headache in children and adolescents.

Keywords

genetics - primary headache - pediatrics - migraine - adolescents - children


Publication History

Received: 03 April 2024

Accepted: 14 December 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
19 December 2024

Article published online:
14 January 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

  • References

  • 1 Russell MB. Genetics in primary headaches. J Headache Pain 2007; 8 (03) 190-195
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Hautakangas H, Winsvold BS, Ruotsalainen SE. et al; International Headache Genetics Consortium, HUNT All-in Headache, Danish Blood Donor Study Genomic Cohort. Genome-wide analysis of 102,084 migraine cases identifies 123 risk loci and subtype-specific risk alleles. Nat Genet 2022; 54 (02) 152-160
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Gormley P, Anttila V, Winsvold BS. et al; International Headache Genetics Consortium. Meta-analysis of 375,000 individuals identifies 38 susceptibility loci for migraine. Nat Genet 2016; 48 (08) 856-866
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 de Boer I, Harder AVE, Ferrari MD, van den Maagdenberg AMJM, Terwindt GM. Genetics of migraine: delineation of contemporary understanding of the genetic underpinning of migraine. In: Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 198. Elsevier; 2023: 85-103
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 5 van den Maagdenberg AMJM, Nyholt DR, Anttila V. Novel hypotheses emerging from GWAS in migraine?. J Headache Pain 2019; 20 (01) 5
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Bille B. A 40-year follow-up of school children with migraine. Cephalalgia 1997; 17 (04) 488-491 , discussion 487
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Scoping reviews. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis; 2020
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Eidlitz-Markus T, Haimi-Cohen Y, Zeharia A. Association of age at onset of migraine with family history of migraine in children attending a pediatric headache clinic: a retrospective cohort study. Cephalalgia 2015; 35 (08) 722-727
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Eidlitz-Markus T, Zeharia A. Younger age of migraine onset in children than their parents: a retrospective cohort study. J Child Neurol 2018; 33 (01) 92-97
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Arruda MA, Guidetti V, Galli F, Albuquerque RCAP, Bigal ME. Frequency of headaches in children is influenced by headache status in the mother. Headache 2010; 50 (06) 973-980
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Stewart WF, Bigal ME, Kolodner K, Dowson A, Liberman JN, Lipton RB. Familial risk of migraine: variation by proband age at onset and headache severity. Neurology 2006; 66 (03) 344-348
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Svensson DA, Larsson B, Bille B, Lichtenstein P. Genetic and environmental influences on recurrent headaches in eight to nine-year-old twins. Cephalalgia 1999; 19 (10) 866-872
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Knezevic-Pogancev M. Recurrent headache and migraine heritability: twin study. Genetika 2011; 43 (03) 595-606
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Champion D, Bui M, Bott A. et al. Familial and genetic influences on the common pediatric primary pain disorders: a twin family study. Children (Basel) 2021; 8 (02) 89
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Lopes CFR, Dos Santos TP, Martins IP. Prognosis of headache in children: a 25-year follow-up. Childs Nerv Syst 2022; 38 (03) 619-626
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Dooley JM, Augustine HF, Brna PM, Digby AM. The prognosis of pediatric headaches—a 30-year follow-up study. Pediatr Neurol 2014; 51 (01) 85-87
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Kienbacher C, Wöber C, Zesch HE. et al. Clinical features, classification and prognosis of migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents: a long-term follow-up study. Cephalalgia 2006; 26 (07) 820-830
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Jasrotia R, Kumar P, Kundal BR, Langer S. Insights into the role of epigenetic mechanisms in migraine: the future perspective of disease management. Nucleus 2021; 64 (01) 373-382
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Pistoia F, Salfi F, Saporito G. et al. Behavioral and psychological factors in individuals with migraine without psychiatric comorbidities. J Headache Pain 2022; 23 (01) 110
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Rosignoli C, Ornello R, Onofri A. et al. Applying a biopsychosocial model to migraine: rationale and clinical implications. J Headache Pain 2022; 23 (01) 100
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Buse DC, Scher AI, Dodick DW. et al. Impact of migraine on the family: perspectives of people with migraine and their spouse/domestic partner in the CaMEO study. Mayo Clin Proc 2016; 91 (05) 596-611
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Sutherland HG, Albury CL, Griffiths LR. Advances in genetics of migraine. J Headache Pain 2019; 20 (01) 72
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Charles A, Pozo-Rosich P. Targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide: a new era in migraine therapy. Lancet 2019; 394 (10210): 1765-1774
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar