Circadian rest-activity rhythm is associated to mnemonic processing speed of individuals with chronic migraine

Cognitive impairment by changes in the sleep-wake cycle may be present in individuals with migraine. Adjuvant evaluation methods in this area may favor the search for new treatments. We investigated the relationship between possible changes in the rest-activity rhythm (RAR) and visuospatial memory in individuals with chronic migraine (CM) using actigraphy and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCFT), respectively. Actigraphy was analyzed in healthy individuals (CG) and patients with CM (CMG) for 15 days. The CMG had a longer latency time to start copying, copying time and visuospatial memory recall in comparison to the CG. However, there were no differences regarding short-term memory between groups. The lower relative amplitude and rhythmic percentage of the RAR contributed to the higher latency to initiate copying in CMG. In conclusion, misalignment of the RAR could be associated with a slower mnemonic processing speed in individuals with CM than in healthy individuals.