MONDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have detected abnormalities in the brains of people with fibromyalgia, a complex, chronic condition characterized by muscle pain and fatigue.
“We showed in our study that the functional abnormalities observed were mainly related to disability,” and not to anxiety and depression status, said Dr. Eric Guedj, the study’s lead author and a researcher at Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire de la Timone in France.
While some researchers have suggested that the pain reported by fibromyalgia patients was the result of depression, the new study suggests otherwise. The abnormalities found on brain scans done by the study authors were independent of the women’s anxiety and depression levels, Guedj said.
The French researchers evaluated 20 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 10 healthy women without the condition who served as a control group. They asked all the women to respond to questionnaires to determine levels of pain, disability, anxiety and depression.
Then, the researchers performed brain imaging called single photon emission computed tomography, or SPECT.
The imaging showed that women with the syndrome had “brain perfusion” — or blood flow abnormalities —compared to the healthy women. The researchers then found that these abnormalities were directly correlated with the severity of disease symptoms.
An increase in blood flow was found in the brain region known to discriminate pain intensity, the researchers found.
The findings were published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
An estimated 10 million Americans are thought to have fibromyalgia, the majority of them women, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association. They report a history of widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for at least three months, and pain in at least 11 of 18 “tender points.”
Besides pain, fibromyalgia symptoms include fatigue; problems with cognitive functioning, memory and concentration; difficulty sleeping; and stiffness.
The cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery, according to the association, but it may occur following physical trauma such as an injury, experts say. Treatments focus on relieving symptoms and helping patients function.
In previous research, Guedj and his team had found functional abnormalities in areas of the brain of fibromyalgia patients. The latest study goes a step further, demonstrating that the brain abnormalities are correlated with disease severity, he said.
Dr. Patrick Wood, senior medical adviser for the National Fibromyalgia Association, said the new study provides “further evidence of an objective difference between patients with fibromyalgia and those who don’t have the disorder.” Wood reviewed the study results but was not involved with the research.
Other studies have found a correlation between brain abnormalities and fibromyalgia symptoms, Wood said, adding that the new study adds more evidence and information on how the abnormalities affect patients.
More information
To learn more about fibromyalgia, visit the National Fibromyalgia Association.
SOURCES: Eric Guedj, M.D., researcher, Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire de la Timone, Marseille, France; Patrick Wood, M.D., senior medical adviser, National Fibromyalgia Association, chief medical officer, Angler Biomedical, Rockville, Md.; November 2008, The Journal of Nuclear Medicine
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
Last Updated: Nov. 03, 2008
Copyright © 2008 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Comments (10)
Very interesting study results on fibromyalgia.
I have Fibromylgia, also severe headaches, miserable tired all the time, this study may be on to the real causes of the severity of pain suffered. Does it cause problems with vision and balance due to the blood flow in the area of a Fibromylgia patient? God, I only pray no one has suffered as I personally have or been treated by doctors who don’t believe it is a disease. I wish each study done would bring a cure closer.
Very informative post. Fibromyalgia is a complicated diagnosed problem and it is still being researched for possible cures. Treating the disorder using western medicine can be frustrating. This is why many are now turning to old, eastern medicine for an answer. Alternative medicine like acupuncture could hold hope for many people suffering from fibromyalgia. I read about Fibromyalgia from The following website while looking for alternative medicines click here, read more about ACUPUNCTURE AND FIBROMYALGIA
Glad to hear Something Besides It is All in our Head(Emotional or Depression Based!)I just recently went thru the Headaches& Brain fog!Thanks for still REASEARCHING IT!! We All Still have so much to Learn. I Swear I have a New Symptom and later I will read it is Fibro. Based! ttyn T.O. tam
I was diagnosed with fibro in early 1994 and was given meds to help me relax and sleep. It took a very large dose of one med to help me get to sleep. It was not a sleeping pill. I was told that water exercises at 90 degrees, was the best exercise over all for me. I did not retire until 1998 and could not find a place to do that after work. After retiring in ‘98, then 2 years of doing almost nothing productive and resting most of the time because that was all I could do, I joined a health club that had a pool with the usual temperature of about 85 degrees. That was in the summer and it seemed to help even with the cooler temp. In the fall I joined a new club that had a therapy pool that is usually from 89-93 degrees and that was wonderful. I am still going there at least 3 times a week most of the time. I also go to a chiropractor when I feel I need to. After extensive therapy for about a year, I can tell when it is time for a few sessions to get back up to speed again. I do have the brain fog from time to time and fight the pain and lack of energy all the time. The pain is not as bad as it once was but I can almost never forget about it. I am still taking the original meds prescribed in 1994, but have been able to cut back on the one that I required in a high dosage.
More people are being diagnosed now and there is more recognition of the problem and that is helpful in many ways. You just have to hang in there, take your meds, find an exercise that works for you and go to bed when you know you need to. Best wishes to all with this awful condition and try to stay positive even when you feel there is nothing to be positive about.
An enlightening and informative article which further validates other studies done by researcher’s which is proving that our 24/7 pain is NOT psychological, although until society begins to acknowledge this disease, every individual fighting this “Invisible Disability” will have to endure doubts from family, friends, and the “mainstream medical community.”
Has anyone tried a gluten free diet to lessen your symptoms?
Yes. I am currently on the LEAP eating program; I am currently going wheat and gluten free. Very hard, as I am not a monk. Ha! I am still suffering w/ fibro symptoms. My fibro is not in the infant stage, however, it is severe, so maybe I am as good as I will get eating this way. I know when I “very” from this eating program, I get very sick! So I think there is something to adjusting your diet. Fibro is not a “one size fits all” disease, so sometimes what works for one person, does nothing for another. Thanks for all the in-put! Peace and restful sleep to you all.
Gayle :)
Fibromyalgia will never be recognized as a legitimate illness in my lifetime. I guess it’s just all “mental” according to the medical profession. I give up trying to convince doctors, at least here in the Greater Milwaukee Area.
This is interesting. Wish the US would do studies like these. I would volunteer if there was no experimental meds involved. The only problem with bringing up stuff like this to our doctors is that they think that you are trying to do their job better than they can-unless you have a very open and caring doctor who is willing to listen to you and try alternate forms of treatment. The truth is, most doctors don’t seem to take the time to educate themselves on the issue to help their patients the best they can. I can’t even begin to count how many doctors I have been thru. Some just don’t listen- period. They consider an easier alternate route in telling us fibro-suffers that it’s “all in our head”. Well, this kind of proves that it could be-with legitimate test results to show for it. “Gray” matter in the brain, no wonder we experience fibro-fog! Haha! From what I’ve heard, every fibro suffers’ case is different. Being one myself, I would have to say that ANY man-made drug that I have been put on has made my fibro worse. I am also in a small percentile of people that are non-responsive to meds. (I didn’t even know there was such a thing until my doctor told me this.) I experience the poor side effects of the drugs, but not the effects that they were designed for (such as anti-depressants). Due to this I’ve had to “adapt”. I have learned that keeping active (even though I have to drag myself out of bed some days)seems to be best for me. Some days I still don’t make it out of bed though-but I at least try. During the summer, I feel 80% better, almost “normal” again. I have considered moving to a warmer and drier climate because of this. (When I eat a raw vegan, no refined anything, no wheat, gluten, yeast, corn syrup, or anything else artificial (dyes and preservatives) diet, I do SO much better. The only problem with this is the cost, it’s out of my budget sometimes. I pay dearly for it too-my weight in turn suffers, which worsens the fibro too. I no longer smoke, drink alcohol, or caffienated beverages either. I have tried detoxes, which help some. I did a major detox about 3 years ago, and became extremely ill because I didn’t go thru with it gradually (or that is what I have read). On top of everything else that goes hand-in-hand with fibro, I also have heart arrhythmia, and intestinal malrotation. I was treated for meningitis and lyme disease before age 16, and have read that both of these have been found to link with fibro too. I have also had many back and neck injuries. The last believed to have triggered the fibro. Emerging into warm water, sitting near wood stove heat, light yoga stretches, and making sure I drink plenty of purified water daily help too. I want to look into acupuncture treatments. That’s about all that I have not tried holistically. Staying out of stressful and negative situations to the best of my ability seems to help. I’m not sure if this will help anyone else with ideas for new things to try in your own daily routine or lifestyle. If it does, than I’m glad to have shared a bit. I remember what it was like when I was first diagnosed and starting out “blindfolded”. The best advice I could give from my own experience is educate yourself. Listen to your body and do not put “trash” into it. Go ahead with what works, ditch what doesn’t. Love yourself, don’t give up, and try to stay positive and active. Always keep a sense of humor. May seem impossible to do some days, but keep trying. I still get thrown off, and I always have to remind myself to get back on. If I coud learn to do this, I think anyone can. It has been a life lesson for me. I have worked hard to get to where I am now from where I started out at. My next step is getting back to work. I would like to become a physical therapist. I figure that I have been “dealt the card” of fibromyalgia for a reason. I can understand now what people experience with chronic pain. If I can put that to good use to help others, than maybe I can find some purpose and reasoning behind my own trials with fibromyalgia. Best wishes to everyone. Remember that you are not alone.