Migraine and ischemic stroke share a genetic susceptibility, with a particularly strong overlap between migraine without aura and specific stroke subtypes, according to a large-scale meta-analysis of genome-wide data of migraine and ischemic stroke in close to 200,000 cases and controls.

Researchers reviewed known specific loci for both disorders to find potential overlaps, then analyzed the overall shared genetic load, and determined shared risk using covariance patterns between the 2 phenotypes through cross phenotype spatial mapping.

Investigators found substantial genetic overlap between migraine and stroke. Migraine without aura showed a much stronger overlap with ischemic stroke and its subtypes than migraine with aura. The study authors stated this suggests a shared mechanism between migraine without aura, and both large artery and cardioembolic stroke.

Citation: Malik R, Freilinger T, Winsvold BS, et al; International Headache Genetics Consortium, Dichgans M; METASTROKE Collaboration of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium. Shared genetic basis for migraine and ischemic stroke: A genome-wide analysis of common variants. Neurology. 2015. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001606.