Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy May Help Address Mental Health Conditions in IIH, Study Suggests

A small study found that most patients with IIH who suffer from a mental health disorder favored anxiety management as a therapeutic focus. Therefore, the authors suggest that “CBT protocols for illness anxiety, generalized anxiety and adjustment disorders would be particularly relevant.” Photo: Alison Bozung, OD. Click image to enlarge. Reports show that close to half (45%) of patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) suffer from a mental health condition, such as a mood or anxiety disorder. Visual outcomes have also been shown to be worse among these patients. In a recent small study, researchers assessed the psychological challenges faced by IIH patients and suggested that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may provide a valuable complementary treatment.The study was conducted as a prospective observational analysis at the Stanford Health neuro-ophthalmology clinic from October 2024 to May 2025. Initially, 53 patients were enrolled, and 43 went on to complete both a series of self-reported surveys and psychiatric evaluations. Participants had a mean age of 37.8 years, with a significant majority being female (90.7%). To assess mental health symptoms and diagnoses, the researchers employed validated scales, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) for anxiety and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) for depression. The data revealed that the vast majority of IIH patients (81.4%) had received diagnoses related to mood or anxiety disorders, most commonly generalized anxiety disorder (39%) and major depressive disorder (13%). Roughly three in four participants (76.7%) exhibited mild to moderate anxiety as reflected in their GAD-7 scores, and an equivalent percentage showed mild to severe depression according to the PHQ-9 results.Notably, patients who had undergone surgical interventions, such as venous stenting or ventriculoperitoneal shunts, reported higher anxiety levels, showcasing an average GAD-7 score of 11.75, contrasted with a score of 6.52 in those who had not had surgery. According to the self-reported survey results, 81.4% of IIH patients were interested in CBT, and 83.7% were deemed good candidates for the mental health treatment. Based on this, coupled with the high prevalence of mental health disorders among this population, the researchers noted in their paper that “CBT seems promising for reducing psychological distress in patients with IIH.” Specifically, IIH patients in this study expressed interest in anxiety management being the primary therapeutic focus, “suggesting that CBT protocols for illness anxiety, generalized anxiety and adjustment disorders would be particularly relevant.” Essential elements of therapy could encompass cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments and mindfulness-based strategies specifically designed for chronic neurological conditions, they noted.The researchers also pointed out that most IIH patients reported a decline in their mental health immediately following IIH diagnosis, indicating that the demand for psychological support is likely even more critical for those who have just been diagnosed.In conclusion, the authors conveyed, “These findings support the development of integrated clinics offering evidence-based psychological care to improve mental health, treatment engagement, quality of life and somatic symptom severity.” While this study demonstrates that most IIH patients are suitable candidates for CBT, its authors argue that further research is necessary to validate the efficacy of this intervention in this specific population.Click here for the journal source. Nadeau F, Fradet M, Moss HE. Mental health assessment and suitability for cognitive-behavioral therapy among patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. J Neuroophthalmol. January 22, 2026. [Epub ahead of print].  This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. In the process, AI may have been among the editorial tools used to meet the goals of human editors, who approved all content.