94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or good
Learn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.
Find out more
REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Headache and Neurogenic Pain
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1577146
Bridging Migraine and Psychosis: A Neuropsychiatric Review of Shared Dopaminergic Mechanisms
Provisionally accepted
Rithin Jacob Antony Rajan1*
Roshini Esther2- 1ALTE University, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 2Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Migraine is increasingly recognized as a disorder with both neurological and psychiatric dimensions, with increasing evidence suggesting a potential link to psychotic symptoms through shared dopaminergic dysfunction. Both conditions exhibit dopamine receptor hypersensitivity, neurotransmitter imbalances, and altered cortical excitability, raising the question of whether migraineurs, particularly those with aura, may be more susceptible to transient psychotic-like symptoms. This review explores the neurobiological overlap between migraine and psychosis, focusing on shared pathophysiological mechanisms, neuroimaging findings, and clinical evidence. Neuroimaging studies have revealed that migraineurs exhibit altered dopamine receptor binding and reduced synaptic dopamine during attacks, whereas psychotic disorders are characterized by sustained dopaminergic hyperactivity. These observations support the hypothesis that dopaminergic dysregulation may predispose migraineurs to sensory-perceptual disturbances that occasionally resemble psychotic symptoms. Importantly, this overlap does not imply that migraine leads to psychosis but rather suggests that shared neurochemical dysfunction may transiently modulate perception. Future research should clarify this interaction to improve the early identification and management of neuropsychiatric manifestations in migraine patients.
Keywords: Neurology, Psychiatry Migraine Disorder, Psychotic Disorders, dopamine receptors, Neuroimaging, Antipsychotic Agents, Migraine with Aura, Dopamine Antagonists
Received: 15 Feb 2025; Accepted: 14 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Antony Rajan and Esther. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Rithin Jacob Antony Rajan, ALTE University, Tbilisi, Georgia
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.