Cognitive and Sensory Profiles in Patients with Epilepsy, Migraine, and Their Comorbidity: A Quantitative Study

Cognitive and Sensory Profiles in Patients with Epilepsy, Migraine, and Their Comorbidity: A Quantitative Study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Cognitive and Sensory Profiles in Patients with Epilepsy, Migraine, and Their Comorbidity: A Quantitative Study Yuyan Hao, Fan Zhang, Zhen Li, Jun Han, Wenmin Feng, Yanjie Zhou, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8863563/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Epilepsy and migraine are highly comorbid neurological disorders with shared pathophysiological features. However, their combined impact on cognitive, emotional, and sensory processing remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to quantitatively compare these domains across patients with epilepsy, migraine, their comorbidity, and healthy controls. Methods​: The study recruited 27 patients with epilepsy, 27 with migraine, 20 with comorbid epilepsy and migraine, and 25 healthy controls. Cognitive function, anxiety, and depression were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. Disease-specific scales were also administered. Sensory function was evaluated by measuring the pain perception threshold (PPT) with von Frey filaments and by quantifying the current perception threshold (CPT) and pain tolerance threshold (PTT) using a Neurometer® at 2000 Hz (Aβ fibers), 250 Hz (Aδ fibers), and 5 Hz (C fibers). Results​: All patient groups showed significantly lower MoCA scores and higher SAS/SDS scores compared to controls (all P < 0.05). The comorbidity group had the most pronounced cognitive deficits, particularly in attention, executive function, and visuospatial memory. While PPT and CPT did not differ between groups, PTT was significantly reduced in all patient groups at 250 Hz and 5 Hz (all P < 0.05), with the comorbidity group also showing lower PTT at 2000 Hz. Correlation analyses revealed positive associations between VAS score and headache attack duration, as well as between both MIDAS and HIT-6 scores and VAS score. LSSS score positively correlated with seizure duration. MoCA score positively correlated with both headache attack duration and HIT-6 score. Conclusion​: Patients with epilepsy, migraine, or their comorbidity exhibit significant cognitive and emotional impairments, with comorbid patients demonstrating additive deficits. The broad reduction in pain tolerance implicates shared sensory processing abnormalities and central sensitization as a potential mechanism linking the two disorders. These results support an integrated clinical approach that targets cognitive, emotional, and sensory dysfunction. Epilepsy Comorbidity Migraine Pain perception threshold Current perception threshold Pain tolerance threshold Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 18 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 24 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 02 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 27 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 27 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8863563","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":600251733,"identity":"f9cb1c67-4de9-41cc-a654-b46c65f10a9f","order_by":0,"name":"Yuyan Hao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuyan","middleName":"","lastName":"Hao","suffix":""},{"id":600251734,"identity":"f651058d-1ead-44c2-af74-f04d4de9ce38","order_by":1,"name":"Fan Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei 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However, their combined impact on cognitive, emotional, and sensory processing remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to quantitatively compare these domains across patients with epilepsy, migraine, their comorbidity, and healthy controls.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods​:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study recruited 27 patients with epilepsy, 27 with migraine, 20 with comorbid epilepsy and migraine, and 25 healthy controls. Cognitive function, anxiety, and depression were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. Disease-specific scales were also administered. Sensory function was evaluated by measuring the pain perception threshold (PPT) with von Frey filaments and by quantifying the current perception threshold (CPT) and pain tolerance threshold (PTT) using a Neurometer\u0026reg; at 2000 Hz (Aβ fibers), 250 Hz (Aδ fibers), and 5 Hz (C fibers).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults​:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll patient groups showed significantly lower MoCA scores and higher SAS/SDS scores compared to controls (all \u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). The comorbidity group had the most pronounced cognitive deficits, particularly in attention, executive function, and visuospatial memory. While PPT and CPT did not differ between groups, PTT was significantly reduced in all patient groups at 250 Hz and 5 Hz (all \u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05), with the comorbidity group also showing lower PTT at 2000 Hz. Correlation analyses revealed positive associations between VAS score and headache attack duration, as well as between both MIDAS and HIT-6 scores and VAS score. LSSS score positively correlated with seizure duration. MoCA score positively correlated with both headache attack duration and HIT-6 score.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion​:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePatients with epilepsy, migraine, or their comorbidity exhibit significant cognitive and emotional impairments, with comorbid patients demonstrating additive deficits. The broad reduction in pain tolerance implicates shared sensory processing abnormalities and central sensitization as a potential mechanism linking the two disorders. These results support an integrated clinical approach that targets cognitive, emotional, and sensory dysfunction.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Cognitive and Sensory Profiles in Patients with Epilepsy, Migraine, and Their Comorbidity: A Quantitative Study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-06 15:45:18","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8863563/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"249738902382852490325664721461966234643","date":"2026-05-18T11:01:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"209809711248663146185224720054328193790","date":"2026-03-24T08:29:38+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-03T16:50:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-02T17:29:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-27T19:31:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Neurology","date":"2026-02-27T12:31:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-neurology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"nurl","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Neurology](http://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/nurl","title":"BMC Neurology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"21085225-4c7c-4023-bc11-7f58af67878a","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 6th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"249738902382852490325664721461966234643","date":"2026-05-18T11:01:40+00:00","index":52,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-06T15:45:18+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-06 15:45:18","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8863563","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8863563","identity":"rs-8863563","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}