Role of sensory processing sensitivity and high sensation seeking in migraine with typical aura

Abstract

The psychological differences between migraine with aura (MwA) patients and healthy controls (HCs) have not been sufficiently investigated in the current scientific literature. Taking this into account, the present study aimed to examine differences between MwA patients and HCs in sensory processing sensitivity factors, high sensation seeking factors, depression, and anxiety. Mentioned variables were also used to determine their predictive role in predicting the group membership (MwA patients vs HCs). The Highly Sensitive Person Scale, the revised High Sensation Seeking Test, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered to a sample of seventy-one respondents (39 MwA patients and 32 HCs). MwA patients had a significantly higher score for the low sensory threshold (sensory processing sensitivity factor) in comparison with HCs (4.36 ± 1.4 vs 3.45 ± 1.1, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in other subscales of sensory processing sensitivity, as well as regarding the high sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression scores, between those two groups. The logistic regression model correctly classified 79.5% MwA patients and 66.7% HCs. The low sensory threshold was a statistically significant predictor for MwA patients (p = 0.001). Our results indicate a certain similarity in the brain sensitivities of MwA patients and people with sensory processing sensitivity trait. Moreover, this shows that the constructs of sensitivity in migraine patients and highly sensitive people overlap to an extent, suggesting the similarity between the conceptualization of sensitivity in the psychological literature and the conceptualization of sensitivity in the medical literature.