Fibromyalgia No Longer an "Invisible" Disease

The chronic disorder known as fibromyalgia is characterized by extensive muscle pain lasting for at least three months coupled with heavy fatigue. Other symptoms include problems with cognitive function and memory and concentration, as well as sleep disturbances and stiffness. The condition affects between two and four percent of the world’s population with most of the victims being women.

Until now, fibromyalgia has been labeled the “invisible syndrome” as it could not be diagnosed through lab tests or X-rays. But a group of French researchers have recently detected abnormalities in the brains of those suffering from the condition.

Dr. Eric Guedj, the study's lead author and a researcher at Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire de la Timone in France explained, “We showed in our study that the functional abnormalities observed were mainly related to disability.” Previously, researchers have suggested that the pain associated with fibromyalgia was actually the result of depression. However, Guedj said that the abnormalities found in the brain scans done during the study were unrelated to anxiety and depression levels.

The research included 20 women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 10 healthy women who were free of the condition, serving as a control group. The 30 women were asked to answer questionnaires regarding their levels of pain and disability, as well as levels of anxiety and depression. In addition, the research group performed brain imaging on the women known as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

The brain scans revealed that the women with fibromyalgia had blood flow abnormalities or "brain perfusion" that the healthy women did not. It was also discovered that these abnormalities are directly connected to the intensity of symptoms and an increase in blood flow was found in the area of the brain that distinguishes pain severity.

Prior studies that included brain imaging have shown that the affected areas of the brain involve pain processing and emotional responses to pain. Dr. Guedj and colleagues believe that, as a result, the new findings indicate that fibromyalgia is a disorder of central pain processing in which pain sensations are heightened.

The National Fibromyalgia Association estimates that about 10 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. Although the cause of fibromyalgia is not known, it is believed that it may be linked to physical trauma. Treatments target improved function and pain relief.

According to Dr. Patrick Wood, senior medical adviser for the National Fibromyalgia Association, this new study supplies “further evidence of an objective difference between patients with fibromyalgia and those who don't have the disorder.”

The researchers acknowledge that a major limitation of the study was the small number of participants. In addition, although fibromyalgia is usually assessed with general pain scales like the ones used in the study, they plan to discuss whether or not these scales are appropriate for use in this type of research.

The findings were published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.