Abstract
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients show altered connectivity with the network maintaining ongoing resting brain activity, known as the default mode network (DMN). The connectivity patterns of DMN with the rest of the brain in FMS patients are poorly understood. This study employed seed-based functional connectivity analysis to investigate resting-state functional connectivity with DMN structures in FMS. Sixteen female FMS patients and 15 age-matched, healthy control subjects underwent T2-weighted resting-state MRI scanning and functional connectivity analyses using DMN network seed regions. FMS patients demonstrated alterations to connectivity between DMN structures and anterior midcingulate cortex, right parahippocampal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule and left inferior temporal gyrus. Correlation analysis showed that reduced functional connectivity between the DMN and the right parahippocampal gyrus was associated with longer duration of symptoms in FMS patients, whereas augmented connectivity between the anterior midcingulate and posterior cingulate cortices was associated with tenderness and depression scores. Our findings demonstrate alterations to functional connectivity between DMN regions and a variety of regions which are important for pain, cognitive and emotional processing in FMS patients, and which may contribute to the development or maintenance of chronic symptoms in FMS.
Highlights
Fibromyalgia syndrome is characterised by widespread chronic pain, cognitive and affective disturbances and fatigue
The pathophysiology of Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is unknown with evidence for both central and peripheral contributions [1], ongoing chronic pain was previously shown to cause reorganisation of the default mode network (DMN) in the brain [2], and resting-state functional connectivity changes are prevalent in FMS
FMS patients, relative to healthy control participants, demonstrated significant connectivity differences between DMN seeds located in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), L.MFG and R.IPL and a variety of cortical regions
Summary
Fibromyalgia syndrome is characterised by widespread chronic pain, cognitive and affective disturbances and fatigue. The pathophysiology of FMS is unknown with evidence for both central and peripheral contributions [1], ongoing chronic pain was previously shown to cause reorganisation of the default mode network (DMN) in the brain [2], and resting-state functional connectivity changes are prevalent in FMS (reviewed in [3]). Functional connectivity alterations can reflect the transition from acute to chronic pain [4]. Altered central connectivity could contribute to the development and maintenance of fibromyalgia or PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159198. Pending this approval we will send the data to interested researchers Altered central connectivity could contribute to the development and maintenance of fibromyalgia or PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159198 July 21, 2016
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