Study Partially Reveals How Pain Occurs in Fibromyalgia Patients

A study reveals evidence that fibromyalgia patients have greater connectivity between multiple brain networks and the insular cortex, which affects the sensation of pain.

The study, published in Arthritis and Rheumatism, was performed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and University of Michigan and enrolled 36 female subjects: 18 with fibromyalgia and18 healthy controls.

The patients with fibromyalgia had the disease for at leas t one year, had pain for more than 50% of each day, and agreed to limit the introduction of new medications or treatment strategies to control their symptoms.

Participants rated their FM pain intensity before undergoing MRI scan, and the researchers received pain scores that ranged from 0 to 8.1 with 10 being the most intense sensation of pain.

The results demonstrated that patients with FM had greater intrinsic connectivity within the right EAN, and between the DMN and the insular cortex-a brain region linked to evoked pain processing, according to a press release.