Clinical trial NCT01775852: Brief Behavioral Intervention for Comorbid Migraine and Depression
Official title: Brief, Behavioral Intervention of ACT & Illness Management for Comorbid Migraine and Depression
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Migraine
Depression
Keywords: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Depression
Illness Management
Behavioral treatment
Impairment
Lead sponsor: University of Iowa
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2013-01-25
Enrollment: 45
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 75
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of this research study is to examine whether a one-day group workshop, integrating principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Migraine Education, will result in improvements in depressive symptoms and functioning impairment in patients with comorbid migraine and depression.

Detailed description: Migraine affects approximately 35 million US residents (Bigal \& Lipton, 2009) and is associated with excruciating headache and marked functional impairment. Epidemiological and clinical research has shown that people with migraine suffer from psychiatric disorders at a disproportionately higher rate than individuals without. Depression, in particular, is 3-5 times more common in migraine patients than in non-migraineurs. The comorbidity of depression and migraine is a major health concern as it results in poorer prognosis, remission rate, and response to treatment. In addition, an increase in the severity of migraine is associated with a parallel rise in the severity and treatment resistance of comorbid depression.

Recent research in behavioral medicine suggests that the pain experience per se does not necessarily lead to depression or impairment. Instead, it is the preoccupation with avoiding aversive stimuli associated with pain (i.e., activities, places, movements) that results in depression and disability (e.g., McCracken et al., 2005). Therefore, given that patients with migraine and/or depression exhibit more avoidance behaviors and lower activity levels than healthy controls (e.g., Stronks et al., 2004), an intervention aimed at optimizing willingness and acceptance and minimizing behavioral avoidance may be beneficial at improving both their depression and migraine and, consequently, their daily functioning.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically based behavioral therapy that incorporates acceptance and mindfulness strategies with behavioral change strategies. ACT (in group and in individual settings) is effective in treating psychiatric disorders commonly associated with migraine, including depression, anxiety, and stress (e.g., Hayes, 2001) as well as chronic illnesses like pain and diabetes (Dahl et al, 2004; Gregg et al., 2006). Importantly, ACT resulted in positive long-term outcomes even when presented in brief form. For example, a two-day ACT workshop, in a group setting, led to improvements in depression and distress experienced by parents of children diagnosed with autism and these gains were retained 3 months later. Parents also exhibited a reduction in avoidance behaviors (Blackledge \& Hayes, 2006).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-75
* 4 to 12 migraines in the previous month
* Major or Minor Depression
* English-speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with other major psychiatric disorders such as bipolor disorder, schizophrenia, and current illicit drug use.
* Patients with major head injuries.
* Patients with serious medical illnesses.
* Patients who have started a new medication in previous 4 weeks or plan on starting a new medication in the next 4 weeks.
* Patients expressing significant suicidal ideation.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Mean Change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) From Baseline to 12 Week Follow-up
timeFrame: 12 week change from baseline
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Mean Change Score in HDI (Headache Disability Inventory) From Baseline to 12 Weeks.
timeFrame: 12 week change from baseline
measure: Mean Change on Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) From Baseline to 12 Week Follow-up.
timeFrame: Change at 12 week follow-up from baseline
measure: Mean Change of World Health Organization Disability Assessment (WHO-DAS) From Baseline to 12-week Follow up.
timeFrame: Change at 12 week follow-up from baseline
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Iowa City
country: United States
facility: University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
state: Iowa
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Iowa
name: Lilian Dindo, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bigal ME, Lipton RB. The epidemiology, burden, and comorbidities of migraine. Neurol Clin. 2009 May;27(2):321-34. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2008.11.011.
citation: Breslau N, Lipton RB, Stewart WF, Schultz LR, Welch KM. Comorbidity of migraine and depression: investigating potential etiology and prognosis. Neurology. 2003 Apr 22;60(8):1308-12. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000058907.41080.54.
citation: Blackledge, J.T. & Hayes, S.C. Using Acceptance and Commitment Training in the support of parents of children diagnosed with Autism. Child and Family Behavior Therapy. 2006;28(1):1-18.
citation: Dahl, J., Wilson, K.G., Nilsson, A. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the treatment of persons at risk for long-term disability resulting from stress and pain symptoms: A preliminary randomized trial. Behavior Therapy. 2004;35:785-801.
citation: Gregg JA, Callaghan GM, Hayes SC, Glenn-Lawson JL. Improving diabetes self-management through acceptance, mindfulness, and values: a randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2007 Apr;75(2):336-43. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.75.2.336.
citation: Hayes SC. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and the Third Wave of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies - Republished Article. Behav Ther. 2016 Nov;47(6):869-885. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2016.11.006. Epub 2016 Nov 10.
citation: Lake AE 3rd, Rains JC, Penzien DB, Lipchik GL. Headache and psychiatric comorbidity: historical context, clinical implications, and research relevance. Headache. 2005 May;45(5):493-506. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2005.05101.x.
citation: Lundgren T, Dahl J, Melin L, Kies B. Evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy for drug refractory epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial in South Africa--a pilot study. Epilepsia. 2006 Dec;47(12):2173-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00892.x.
citation: McCracken LM, Vowles KE, Eccleston C. Acceptance-based treatment for persons with complex, long standing chronic pain: a preliminary analysis of treatment outcome in comparison to a waiting phase. Behav Res Ther. 2005 Oct;43(10):1335-46. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2004.10.003. Epub 2005 Jan 7.
citation: Stronks DL, Tulen JH, Bussmann JB, Mulder LJ, Passchier J. Interictal daily functioning in migraine. Cephalalgia. 2004 Apr;24(4):271-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00661.x.