Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Motor coordination impairment and migraine in children: a new comorbidity?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Migraine without aura (MoA) could be considered the most frequent form of primary headache in children, associated with many known comorbidities, but only the recent literature has begun to consider the importance of motor impairment linked to the attacks. The developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a very common problem among children, with a prevalence ranging up to 19 %. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of motor coordination impairment in a population of children affected by MoA, and its role as putative risk factor for motor skills impairment. This observational study was performed in the Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry of the Second University of Naples. MoA was diagnosed according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (IHS-2) criteria. The study population consisted of 27 patients affected by MoA (16 females, 11 males) (mean age: 8.7 ± 2.15 years) and 59 typically developing children (34 females, 25 males) (mean age: 8.0 ± 2.1 years). The whole population underwent a clinical evaluation in order to assess the total IQ level, the visual motor integration skills, and the presence of DCD. Our results showed that MoA children had more impairments in motor coordination (p < 0.001) and visual motor integration (p < 0.001) than control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the association of poor motor coordination and MoA in children using objective measurements. These findings suggest a new perspective in the management of migraine disease in children, pinpointing that the relationship between DCD and migraine could represent a not yet understood or identified comorbidity, even if further reports are necessary, and that migraine probably could be considered not only a painful syndrome in future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ambrosini A, de Noordhout AM, Alagona G, Dalpozzo F, Schoenen J (1999) Impairment of neuromuscular transmission in a subgroup of migraine patients. Neurosci Lett 276(3):201–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Text Revision (DSMIV-TR), 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, VA

    Book  Google Scholar 

  3. Beery KE, Beery NA (2004) The Beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual-motor integration, vol 5. NCS: Pearson Inc, Minneapolis, MN

    Google Scholar 

  4. Brighina F, Cosentino G, Vigneri S, Talamanca S, Palermo A, Giglia G, Fierro B (2011) Abnormal facilitatory mechanisms in motor cortex of migraine with aura. Eur J Pain 15(9):928–935

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Brighina F, Palermo A, Panetta ML, Daniele O, Aloisio A, Cosentino G, Fierro B (2009) Reduced cerebellar inhibition in migraine with aura: a TMS study. Cerebellum 8(3):260–266

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cairney J, Hay J, Veldhuizen S, Faught BE (2011) Trajectories of cardiorespiratory fitness in children with and without developmental coordination disorder: a longitudinal analysis. Br J Sports Med 45(15):1196–1201

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cairney J, Hay J, Veldhuizen S, Missiuna C, Mahlberg N, Faught BE (2010) Trajectories of relative weight and waist circumference among children with and without developmental coordination disorder. CMAJ 182(11):1167–1172

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Cairney J, Kwan MY, Hay JA, Faught BE (2012) Developmental coordination disorder, gender, and body weight: examining the impact of participation in active play. Res Dev Disabil 33(5):1566–1573

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cairney J, Hay JA, Veldhuizen S, Missiuna C, Faught BE (2009) Developmental coordination disorder, sex, and activity deficit over time: a longitudinal analysis of participation trajectories in children with and without coordination difficulties. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:e67–e72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Calandre EP, Bembibre J, Arnedo ML, Becera D (2002) Cognitive disturbances and regional cerebral blood flow abnormalities in migraine patients: their relationship with the clinical manifestations of the illness. Cephalalgia 22:291–302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cuvellier JC, Donnet A, Guègan-Massardie E, Nachit-Ouinekh F, Parai D, Valleé L (2009) Treatment of primary headache in children: a multicenter hospital-based study in France. J Headache Pain 10:447e53

    Google Scholar 

  12. Davis NM, Ford GW, Anderson PJ, Doyle LW (2007) Developmental coordination disorder at 8 years of age in a regional cohort of extremely-low-birthweight or very preterm infants. Dev Med Child Neurol 49:325–330

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dewey D, Kaplan BJ, Crawford SG, Wilson BN (2002) Developmental coordination disorder: associated problems in attention, learning, and psychosocial adjustment. Hum Mov Sci 21:905–918

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Dodick D, Roarke M (2007) Familial hemiplegic migraine: permanent attack-related neurologic deficits. Headache 47(8):1210–1212

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Geuze R, van Dellen T (1990) Auditory precue processing during a movement sequence in clumsy children. J Hum Mov Stud 19:11–24

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gibbs J, Appleton J, Appleton R (2007) Dyspraxia or developmental coordination disorder? Unravelling the enigma. Arch Dis Child 92(6):534–539

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gillberg C, Rasmussen P, Carlström G, Svenson B, Waldenstrom E (1982) Perceptual, motor, and attentional deficits in six-year-old children. Epidemiological aspects. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 23:131–144

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society (2004) The international classification of headache disorders: 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 24(Suppl 1):9–160

    Google Scholar 

  19. Henderson SE, Sugden DA (1992) Movement assessment battery for children manual. The Psychological Corporation Ltd, London

    Google Scholar 

  20. Holsti L, Grunau RV, Whitfield MF (2002) Developmental coordination disorder in extremely low birth weight children at nine years. J Dev Behav Pediatr 23(1):9–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Johnston O, Short H, Crawford J (1987) Poorly coordinated children: a survey of 95 cases. Child care,abbreviation-- health and development 13:361–376

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Jongmans M, Mercuri E, de Vries L, Dubowitz L, Henderson SE (1997) Minor neurologic signs and perceptual-motor difficulties in prematurely born children. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 76(1):F9–F14

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kadesjö B, Gillberg C (1999) Developmental coordination disorder in Swedish 7-year-old children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 38(7):820–828

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kaplan B, Dewey D, Crawford S, Wilson BN (2001) The term comorbidity is of questionable value in reference to developmental disorders: data and theory. J Learn Disabil 34:555–565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kaplan B, Sadock H (1996) Concise textbook of clinical psychiatry. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  26. Kernick D, Campbell J (2008) Measuring the impact of headache in children: a critical review of the literature. Cephalalgia 29:3e16

    Google Scholar 

  27. Lateef TM, Merikangas KR, He J, Kalaydjian A, Khoromi S, Knight E, Nelson KB (2009) Headache in a national sample of American children: prevalence and comorbidity. J Child Neurol 24(5):536e43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lingam R, Hunt L, Golding J, Jongmans M, Emond A (2009) Prevalence of developmental coordination disorder using the DSM-IV at 7 years of age: a UK population-based study. Pediatrics 123:e693

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Lord R, Hulme C (1988) Patterns of rotary pursuit performance in clumsy and normal children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 29:691–701

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Martin NC, Piek J, Baynam G, Levy F, Hay D (2010) An examination of the relationship between movement problems and four common developmental disorders. Hum Mov Sci 29:799–808

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Mathew NT (2011) Pathophysiology of chronic migraine and mode of action of preventive medications. Headache 51(Suppl 2):84–92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Moutran AR, Villa TR, Diaz LA, Noffs MH, Pinto MM, Gabbai AA, Carvalho Dde S (2011) Migraine and cognition in children: a controlled study. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 69(2A):192–195

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Neusüss K, Neumann B, Steinhoff BJ, Thegeder H, Bauer A, Reimers D (1997) Physical activity and fitness in patients with headache disorders. Int J Sports Med 18(8):607–611

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Orsini A, Picone L (2006) WISC III. Contributo alla taratura italiana Giunti O.S. Organizzazioni Speciali, Firenze

  35. Pearsall-Jones J, Piek J, Martin NC, Rigoli D, Levy F, Hay D (2008) A monozygotic twin design to investigate etiological factors for DCD and ADHD. J Pediatr Neurol 6:209–219

    Google Scholar 

  36. Rasmussen P, Gillberg C (2000) Natural outcome of ADHD with developmental coordination disorder at age 22 years: a controlled, longitudinal, community-based study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 39(11):1424–1431

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Schmitz N, Arkink EB, Mulder M, Rubia K, Admiraal-Behloul F, Schoonman GG, Kruit MC, Ferrari MD, van Buchem MA (2008) Frontal lobe structure and executive function in migraine patients. Neurosci Lett 440(2):92–96

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Shields KG, Goadsby PJ (2006) Serotonin receptors modulate trigeminovascular responses in ventroposteromedial nucleus of thalamus: a migraine target? Neurobiol Dis 23(3):491–501

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Tsiotra GD, Flouris AD, Koutedakis Y et al (2006) A comparison of developmental coordination disorder prevalence rates in Canadian and Greek children. J Adolesc Health 39(1):125–127

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Varkey E, Hagen K, Zwart JA, Linde M (2008) Physical activity and headache: results from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). Cephalalgia 28(12):1292–1297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Wechsler D (1991) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 3rd edn. The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio (TX)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Williams J, Lee K, Anderson P (2009) Prevalence of motor-skill impairment in preterm children who do not develop cerebral palsy: a systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:232–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Wilson P, Maruff P, Butson M, Williams J, Lum J, Thomas P (2004) Internal representation of movement in children with developmental coordination disorder: a mental rotation task. Dev Med Child Neurol 46:754–759

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Wright HC, Sugden DA (1996) A two-step procedure for the identification of children with developmental co-ordination disorder in Singapore. Dev Med Child Neurol 38(12):1099–1105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest and received no financial support for this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Carotenuto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Esposito, M., Verrotti, A., Gimigliano, F. et al. Motor coordination impairment and migraine in children: a new comorbidity?. Eur J Pediatr 171, 1599–1604 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1759-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1759-8

Keywords

Navigation