Scientists from Seoul National University School of Medicine found that frequent migraine attacks can increase the risk of developing ulcerative colitis by 1.3 times. Research results published In the journal Nature.
Ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It results from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue.
To identify unclear risk factors for developing this disease, scientists conducted an experiment involving 10 million people over the age of 20. They were divided into two groups according to whether they had migraine or not. Overall, approximately 2.8% of participants had migraine and the majority were women.
An assessment of the participants’ health status showed that people with migraine had a 1.3 times higher risk of developing ulcerative colitis than the rest of the population (people without migraine). Although migraine was more common in women, it had a serious negative impact on the physical health of men. Scientists calculated that if men and women have migraines, the risk of developing ulcerative colitis increases by 43% and 12%, respectively.
Most likely, the mechanism underlying this correlation is related to the gut-brain axis. It is a two-way biochemical signal that occurs between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. Chemicals released in the gut microbiome can have a major impact on brain function.
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