Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 May 10;12(5):620.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci12050620.

Risk of Migraine in Europeans with Low Melanin Levels-A Population Based Case-Control Study

Magdalena Kobus  1 , Elżbieta Żądzińska  1   2 , Aneta Sitek  1 , Jacek Pełka  3 , Jacek J Rożniecki  4 , Bogusław Antoszewski  5
Affiliations

Risk of Migraine in Europeans with Low Melanin Levels-A Population Based Case-Control Study

Magdalena Kobus et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Populations with a relatively low concentration of melanin, e.g., inhabitants of Europe, North America, and Australia, are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of UV radiation. Individuals with fair phototype are at greatest risk of developing skin cancer. Several neurological studies present that light skin may modify the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, the relationship between migraine and skin pigmentation has not been investigated yet. The objective of this study is to provide evidence of the relationship between skin pigmentation and migraine prevalence in adults. We examined a group of 148 adults (33 men, 115 women) with migraine and a control group of 107 adults (43 men, 64 women). Parameters of skin pigmentation (melanin index, erythema index, CIElab, and RGB scales) were measured using a DSM II Cortex Technology dermospectrophotometer. Risk of migraine in lightly pigmented adults was elevated. Individuals with a low melanin index had over 3-fold increased risk of migraine (women: OR 3.53, men: OR 3.73). Fair phototype, which results from lightly pigmented skin, was associated with migraine prevalence. Migraineurs should take extra care to protect their skin from the negative effects of solar radiation.

Keywords: cutaneous colorimetry; headache; melanin; migraine; skin pigmentation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. Videira I.F., Moura D.F., Magina S. Mechanisms regulating melanogenesis. An. Bras. Dermatol. 2013;88:76–83. doi: 10.1590/S0365-05962013000100009. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Pss R., Madhunapantula S.V., Betkerur J.B., Bovilla V.R., Shastry V. Melanogenesis Markers Expression in Premature Graying of Hair: A Cross-Sectional Study. Skin Pharmacol. Physiol. 2022;35:180–186. doi: 10.1159/000520172. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Juhasz M., Conic R.R.Z., Atanaskova Mesinkovska N. Hair Follicle Melanogenesis Reflected in Hair Pigmentation as a Developmental Factor in Alopecia Areata. Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7:370–372. doi: 10.1159/000516301. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ito S., Wakamatsu K. Diversity of human hair pigmentation as studied by chemical analysis of eumelanin and pheomelanin. J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. 2011;25:1369–1380. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04278.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wielgus A.R., Sarna T. Melanin in human irides of different color and age of donors. Pigment Cell Res. 2005;18:454–464. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0749.2005.00268.x. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources