Psychophysiological Features of Primary Headache: New Findings and Some Confirmation

Primary headaches are heterogeneous clinical conditions, characterized by multifactorial etiology and partially unknown eziopathogenesis. In this study, we have investigated the psychophysiological aspects related to autonomic activation and psycho physiological stress response in primary headache patients, in order to identify possible statistically significant relationships between psycho physiological pattern, measured by the PPP (psycho physiological profile) , and the differential neurological diagnosis of primary headaches.The sample consisted of 68 subjects aged between 18 and 70 years (Mean= 39,6; S.D.=12,1), who underwent continuous and simultaneous psycho physiological registration (PPP) of the following parameters: surface electromyography (sEMG), skin conductance level/response (SCL/SCR), heart rate (HR), Inter Beat Interval (IBI) and peripheral temperature (THE).The statistical analysis, performed using non parametric tests, since the data was non-normally distributed, on average showed that: the whole sample reveals already in baseline, an autonomic hyper activation that continues throughout the registration; the category of migraine with aura seems to be physiologically less activated compared to the other diagnostic categories identified.Moreover, we did not detect significant correlations between psycho physiological pattern and clinical neurological diagnosis.In conclusion, it seems reasonably possible to state that these clinical conditions are strongly influenced by stress reaction and management, as an important variable in the disease pathogenesis. This typical stress reaction seems also to have an important role in the disease maintenance and/or worsening, though the strong intra-individual variability.

Keywords: Primary-idiopathic headaches;Psychophysiology;Biofeedback; Neurovegetative activation;Stress response