There might be a connection between migraine during middle age and Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders developing during old age, a new study published in the journal, Neurology, suggests.

Professor of epidemiology Ann Scher and her colleagues followed about 5,600 people between the ages 33 to 65 years old. The participants were previously enrolled for a clinical study involving heart disease in Iceland.

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At the beginning, around 4,000 participants reported not experiencing headaches; 1,028 participants suffered from ordinary headaches; 238 were diagnosed with migraine without aura, and 430 were with migraine with aura.

The participants were asked for symptoms of migraine upon reaching midlife. After about 25 years, they were evaluated for symptoms of Parkinson's, family history of Parkinson's and symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome.

The findings of researchers at Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland showed that people with migraine preceded by aura during midlife are twice as likely to develop Parkinson's disease in later years than people that don't suffer from severe headaches.

It also indicated a strong tendency for women diagnosed with migraines with aura to develop Parkinson's disease.

Aura is a term describing the warning signs of an impending migraine attack. It manifests as flashes of lights, tingling of the skin and blind spots. 

Parkinson's-like symptoms were also identified among participants with migraine without aura, although the link wasn't conclusive, Scher told CNN.

Researchers emphasized, however, that the study wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect connection between the two conditions.

According to Scher, people with migraine shouldn't worry about developing Parkinson's disease or other similar disorders in later years. 

Dr. Michael Okun of the National Parkinson Foundation said participants were not properly examined for their Parkinson's symptoms. More studies are needed to confirm the link between the two conditions, Okun told CNN.

TagsMigraine, Research, scientific research, Parkinson's, Parkinson's disease