Structural and functional brain changes in fibromyalgia: investigation of potential mechanisms associated with central sensitization in chronic pain

Abstract

Despite different techniques, equipment, and statistical criteria, neuroimaging studies have been considerably consistent in the identification of brain regions involved in various pain related processes. Functional neuroimaging studies regularly identify activation differences in a stable set of brain regions between pain and control populations. Recent structural studies have reported similar gray matter abnormalities among multiple chronic pain populations. Yet, the findings from structural and functional imaging studies are not completely unified.