Link between migraine and sexual desire

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

In a new study, those with migraine reported higher levels of sexual desire than those with other kinds of headache.
It's an old joke - 'not tonight, I have a headache'. And it's led to the idea that headache is associated with a lack of sexual deisre. But researchers at Wake Forest University now reveal that migraine sufferers may have higher levels of sexual desire, thanks to brain circuits involving serotonin.

They looked at a group of 68 young adults from Chicago, all of whom admitted to suffering from at least 10 headaches a year. Their condition was assessed as being either migraine or tension headache. The migraine sufferers had levels of sexual desire that were 20 per cent higher than those who had tension headache. The researchers feel there may be a link with serotonin - a brain chemical involved in mood. For those with migraine have low levels of serotonin. Higher levels have been linked to decreased libido. However, the findings are a bit surprising, because low serotonin has also been linked with depression - something you wouldn't expect to be associated with increased levels of sexual desire! As ever, more research is needed.

Source
Headache online 9th June 2006

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