Fibromyalgia alters the structure of the brain. « Medicine in the Library

A new research discovers how fibromyalgia alters the structure of the brain, affecting the regions that process pain. These changes could be potentially reversible, influenced by activity levels and mental well-being.

“In certain regions responsible for inhibition of pain, we have found a decrease in gray matter in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy individuals“, explains Prof. Benjamin Mosh. “In patients, the volume of these regions was significantly reduced.”

Regarding the transmission of signals, changes have been found in the thalamus. The thalamus is considered to be an important node in neuronal pain processing.

White matter deviations in fibromyalgia patients compared to healthy controls indicate impaired conduction of pain signals in fibromyalgia patients.

Finally, the team linked the findings of the structural changes in the brain to the perceptual and behavioral characteristics of the study participants. The amount of volume decrease in a number of relevant brain regions is inversely proportional to the amount of perceived pain patients report.

Positive thing the researchers conclude “The changes in the brain may not be permanent, but they could be affected; in other words they could be reversible, for example through an active daily life”, concludes Benjamin Mosch.

Read the full text of the article:
Brain morphometric changes in fibromyalgia and the impact of psychometric and clinical factors: A volumetric and diffusion-tensor imaging study
Martin Diers et al.
Arthritis Research and Therapy 25, 81 (2023).

Source: Neuroscience news