A new study conducted by Novartis and Healint using Migraine Buddy, Healint’s migraine tracking app. Proved that, contrary to earlier belief, long-standing migraines could engender anxiety and depression.

Feedback from 43,189 users of the app was evaluated to reach this conclusion. The findings were presented at the Fourth Congress of the European Academy of Neurology.

"Anxiety and depressive moods are often considered as triggers of a migraine attack for people who live with this complex condition," Francois Cadiou, founder and CEO of Healint, said in a statement. "Healint’s unique real-world evidence suggests, however, that anxiety and depression may result from migraine, not the other way around. Our goal with Migraine Buddy’s innovative tracking capabilities is always to help doctors identify the best treatment choice for each patient, using patient-reported real-world and clinical evidence. The combination of the right treatments and lifestyle adjustments can yield the best outcome for the patient, and reduce the societal and economic burden of migraines.”

While suffering a migraine attack, 43% users showed signs of anxiety or depression, the authors noted. 50% of users who suffered from a migraine attack for 15 or more days in a month also suffered from anxiety or depression, while 34% of users who suffered for four or less days, had anxiety or depression.

“Our alliance with Healint is a testament to our commitment to the migraine community and those with this common, debilitating, and complex disease,” Lisa Deschamps, global business head of neuroscience at Novartis, mentioned in a statement. “Migraine Buddy helps people with migraine identify triggers, track the course of their attacks, and gain insight into their condition. By joining forces with Healint, we aim to support people with migraine, and provide them with an innovative solution to better manage this disease’s impact.”