Clinical, psychological and neuroimaging characteristics of chronic tension headache in elderly persons

The aim of the study. To study clinical, psychological and neuroimaging characteristics of chronic tension headache (CTH) in the elderly.

Materials and methods. 92 patients with CHTHN (37 men and 55 women aged 55–74 years) were examined. The control group consisted of 53 people (22 men and 31 women of the same age) who did not have neurological complaints, including headache. Pain intensity was assessed on a 10-point visual analogue scale. The severity of neurological symptoms was determined using the NIH-NINDS scale. For the study of cognitive functions, a short scale for assessing mental status was used Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a frontal assessment battery (FAB). Memory was assessed according to the results of the memory subtest MMSE and the 10 words test. The level of attention was studied using the Schulte table, speech fluency – in the «fluency of speech» subtest of the FAB and in the test of verbal associations, visuospatial functions were assessed using the clock drawing test. Memory was assessed by the results of the subtest of memory MMSE and the 10-words test. The level of attention was studied using the Schulte table, the fluency of speech – in the subtest ‘fluency of speech’ FAB and in the verbal association test, visuospatial functions were assessed using the clock drawing test. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head was performed on a Magnetom Impact Expert (Siemens, Germany) tomograph with a magnetic field strength of 1.5 Tesla in T1 and T2 modes. The localization and severity of leukoaraiosis, signs of external and internal atrophy of the brain were determined, the linear dimensions of the anterior horns and central sections of the bodies of the lateral ventricles were measured, and the indices of the anterior horns and bodies of the lateral ventricles were calculated.

Results. Patients with chronic tension headache were characterized by clinical and cognitive heterogeneity: frequent «non-standard» characteristics of headache, severe polymorphism of algic manifestations, high frequency of comorbid disorders, cognitive dysfunction and somatic burden, high representation of leukoaraiosis, external and internal hydrocephalus according to MRI study.

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