Risk Taking and Decision-making in Cluster Headache Patients

Cluster headache is a severe primary headache disorder. In clinical anecdotes, people with cluster headache frequently report use of tobacco and illicit drugs. Furthermore, addictive behaviours and tattoos are considered to be more common in people with cluster headache than in the general population. The causality of these associations remains unclear. A common biological susceptibility has been proposed, predisposing people to both addictive behaviour and cluster headache. On the other hand, a role of illicit drug exposure in cluster headache pathophysiology has been suggested. The increased use of tobacco and illicit drugs could also reflect attempts to treat cluster headache attacks. In this explorative study the investigators will assess both subjective and objective measures reflecting addictive behaviour and risk- and reward seeking in cluster headache. This will add to the clinical knowledge of cluster headache and possible lead to insights in a common biological susceptibility.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-64 years
• Normal or corrected vision with acuity up to 20/60
• Presence of episodic (n=35) or chronic (n=35) cluster headache or migraine with or without arua (n=35), diagnosed according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria, 3rd edition (ICHD-3, 3.1.1)

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of uncorrected visual problems (myopia/presbiopia, peripheral vision problems or legal blindness)
• Current diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, depression or other psychiatric illness
• Other acute, unstable medical conditions or serious chronic diagnoses