People with fibromyalgia suffer from a persistent low level of pain in their musculoskeletal system. The pain is usually accompanied by fatigue and problems with sleep, memory and mood. According to MayoClinic.com, women are more prone to fibromyalgia than men, but genetics also plays a part in determining who gets this disorder. Recent research has suggested that elevated brain levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate may be an integral part of the physiology of fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia Defined
While not a degenerative condition, fibromyalgia causes "widespread pain" according to physicians. This means it occurs on both sides of the body and above and below the waist. In addition, patients with fibromyalgia have certain spots on their bodies called "tender points" at which an amplified pain is felt when pressure is applied. Some of these tender points are the back of the head, the top of the shoulders and the upper part of the chest. Doctors think that patients with fibromyalgia may have a genetic predisposition to the disorder, but other factors such as post-traumatic stress and infectious illnesses may also be involved.
Glutamate
Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that mediate the transmission of signals from one nerve cell to another. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, glutamate is the most common neurotransmitter in the body. It plays an important part in the development of the fetal brain, and is intimately involved with learning and memory. Mental disorders that include depression, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder stem from an insufficient supply of glutamate or the body's inability to properly use it.
Glutamate Levels in the Amygdala
An almond-shaped structure in the temporal lobe of the brain, the amygdala processes emotions like fear and anxiety and also facilitates learning and memory. In an article in the June 2010 issue of "Arthritis and Rheumatism," researchers reported their results of a clinical study of fibromyalgia involving 52 female patients. The scientists found that relative to the healthy patients, the patients with fibromyalgia showed higher levels of glutamate and glutamine compounds in the right amygdala. They concluded that the high levels of these compounds may indicate a problem with the way nerve cells of patients with fibromyalgia process pain signals.
Glutamate Levels in the Insula
ScienceDaily.com summarized an article that appeared in the March 2008 issue of "Arthritis and Rheumatism" in which researchers discussed the results of a clinical study of glutamate levels in the insula of patients with fibromyalgia. The insula is an oval-shaped area of the brain's cerebral cortex, and it shows a high level of activity in people with fibromyalgia. The researchers used acupuncture to bring down pain levels over a period of four weeks. They observed that patients with the largest reduction in pain also showed the greatest reduction in glutamate levels in the insula.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Fibromyalgia; January 2011
- National Institute of Mental Health; Brain Basics; June 2011
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism"; Increased Glutamate/Glutamine Compounds In the Brains of Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study; Manuel Valdes, et al.; June 2010
- ScienceDaily.com; Pain in Fibromyalgia Is Linked to Changes in Brain Molecule; March 2008
