Erenumab not only reduced migraine frequency but also significantly improved depression, anxiety, and sleep quality over 24 weeks of treatment.
24 weeksof erenumab treatment improved migraine, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality
What the researchers found
Erenumab 140 mg monthly for 24 weeks improved depression, anxiety (HADS scores), and sleep quality (PSQI scores) in addition to reducing migraine frequency.
Why it matters
Demonstrating that CGRP-targeted therapy improves psychiatric comorbidities suggests these symptoms may be partly driven by the same CGRP pathways, and that treating migraine effectively has broader mental health benefits.
The numbers in context
140 mg erenumab monthly for 24 weeks; outcomes assessed at weeks 12 and 24 using HADS and PSQI; responders (>=50% migraine reduction) had greater psychiatric improvement.
How the study worked
Non-randomized, single-arm, open-label trial within the prospective Registry for Migraine (REFORM); 140 mg erenumab monthly for 24 weeks with assessments at baseline, week 12, and week 24.
Who was studied
Adults with migraine enrolled in the REFORM registry
What this study cannot tell us
Open-label, single-arm design without placebo control; improvements could partly reflect reduced migraine burden rather than direct psychiatric effects; registry-based recruitment may introduce selection bias.
How to read the evidence
Open-label registry study without control group; provides real-world evidence but cannot establish causation for psychiatric improvements.
When this study was published
Published in 2025, adding to the growing understanding of CGRP-targeted therapy's broader neuropsychiatric effects.
The bigger picture
CGRP's involvement in both pain and mood/sleep pathways suggests that anti-CGRP peptide therapies may have broader neuropsychiatric benefits beyond migraine prevention.
Questions still open
- Does erenumab directly affect mood and sleep through CGRP receptor blockade, or are improvements secondary to migraine reduction?
- Would these psychiatric benefits persist with long-term erenumab use beyond 24 weeks?
Common questions
Can migraine treatment help with depression and anxiety?
What is erenumab?
Read the original research
Impact of Erenumab on Comorbid Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in Migraine: A Registry for Migraine (REFORM) Study.
European journal of neurology, 32(11), e70402
Citation
Raffaelli, Bianca; Thuraiaiyah, Janu; Christensen, Rune Häckert; Al-Khazali, Haidar M; Ashina, Håkan; Snellman, Josefin; Maio-Twofoot, Tina; Ashina, Messoud. (2025). Impact of Erenumab on Comorbid Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in Migraine: A Registry for Migraine (REFORM) Study.. European journal of neurology, 32(11), e70402. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.70402