Misophonia, Autistic Traits, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Migraine: A Controlled Comparative Study.

This study looked at misophonia in adolescents with migraine compared to controls. It involved 80 participants aged 15-18 years, half with migraine. Researchers used various scales to assess misophonia, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and autistic traits. The migraine group had higher misophonia severity scores than the control group. Specifically, their average score was 20.70 compared to 13.65. Misophonia was present in 85% of adolescents with migraine, versus 63% of controls. The migraine group reported more triggers like repetitive clicking and ambient sounds. The study found higher total scores for autistic traits in the migraine group. Interestingly, obsessive-compulsive symptoms did not differ significantly overall, though certain scores were higher. There was a correlation between headache intensity and misophonia severity. This research suggests misophonia could be a sensory feature linked to adolescent migraine. Clinical relevance: This research highlights the association between misophonia and migraine, suggesting potential shared sensory processing pathways.