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Observational Study
. 2025 Sep;46(9):4515-4526.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-025-08372-8. Epub 2025 Jul 21.

Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies, migraine and mood disorders: an observational study

Marco Bolchini  1   2 , Giulia Ceccardi  3   4 , Francesca Schiano di Cola  3   4 , Michele Di Pasquale  3   4 , Renata Rao  3   4 , Alessandro Padovani  3   4   5
Affiliations
Observational Study

Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies, migraine and mood disorders: an observational study

Marco Bolchini et al. Neurol Sci. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

Introduction: Migraine is frequently associated with psychiatric comorbidities, especially anxiety and depressive disorders, with related worse clinical outcome and chronicisation. Aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of anti-CGRP antibodies in alleviating migraine-related symptoms and comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Methods: Retrospective observational study including 206 migraine out-patients in treatment with anti-CGRP antibodies. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale assessing depressive symptoms and Zung Anxiety Scale rating anxiety manifestations, were adopted. Patients were divided into two groups based on the severity of mood disturbances according to BDI score. Effectiveness outcomes (monthly headache days (MHDs), monthly migraine days (MMDs), analgesic consumption, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) score, Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) score) and self-assessment anxiety and depression scales (BDI, Zung) were analysed after 3 and 6 months of treatment.

Results: Effectiveness outcomes showed a significant clinical improvement at T3 (ΔMHD - 9.99 ± 7.82 in Group 1, -10.82 ± 7.62 in Group 2) and T6 (MHD - 10.30 ± 7.41 in Group 1, -10.61 ± 7.87 in Group 2), irrespective of the presence of associated mood symptoms. Treatment resulted in a notable improvement in anxiety and depressive manifestations, with significant reduction in BDI and Zung scales at T3 (ΔBDI - 1.30 ± 3.74 in Group 1, -6.35 ± 11.34 in Group 2) and T6 (ΔBDI - 1.67 ± 4.77 in Group 1, -8.06 ± 10.35 in Group 2).

Conclusions: This study corroborates the effectiveness of anti-CGRP antibody treatment in migraine patients, irrespective of the presence of comorbid mood-related symptoms. Furthermore, the persistently favourable outcome in mood symptom severity and intensity throughout the course of treatment substantiates the beneficial impact of this therapeutic approach.

Keywords: Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies; Anxiety disorders; CGRP; Depressive disorders; Migraine; Mood disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from ethics committee of the ASST Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy, NP 3949, approved on 10 August 2020. Informed consent: Written informed consent was obtained for anonymized patient information to be published in this article. Conflict of interest: Francesca Schiano di Cola has received speaker honoraria from Eli-Lilly, Lundbeck, and Novartis. Renata Rao has received speaker honoraria from Eli-Lilly, Novartis, Lundbeck, and Teva. Alessandro Padovani is a consultant, has served on the scientific advisory board of GE Healthcare, Eli-Lilly, and Actelion Ltd. Pharmaceuticals, and has received speaker honoraria from Nutricia, PIAM, Langstone Technology, GE Healthcare, Lilly, Lundbeck, UCB Pharma, and Chiesi Pharmaceuticals. He is funded by a grant from the Ministry of the University (MURST).

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