BRAIN
(HIPPOCAMPUS) DYSFUNCTION & FIBROMYALGIA
Brain Dysfunction May Explain Fibromyalgia
Symptoms
Dysfunction in a portion of the brain may
explain some of the
symptoms of Fibromyalgia syndrome, researchers
suggest in a paper
published in the Journal of Rheumatology Dr. Yasser
Emad, of Cairo
University, Egypt, and colleagues used proton magnetic
resonance
spectroscopy to examine the function of the hippocampus in
15
patients with Fibromyalgia syndrome and in10 healthy women
who
were the same age as the other patients.
The hippocampus is
located deep in the front portion of the brain
involved in regulating
emotions and memory. Functionally, the
hippocampus is part of the
olfactory cortex, which is important to the
sense of smell. The name is
from the Greek hippos (horse) = kampos
(a sea monster), based on its
shape, which resembles a seahorse.
Using spectroscopy, the researchers
calculated levels of hippocampus
levels of the brain chemicals N-acetyl
aspartate (NAA), choline,
creatine, along with their ratios, and compared
the findings between the
two groups. All study participants also
underwent assessments of sleep
patterns, cognitive function, and symptoms
of depression.
In the patient group, language scores were significantly
correlated with
choline and creatine levels, but there was no significant
correlation
between the levels of the metabolites or their ratios and the
number of
tender points.
"The hippocampus was dysfunctional in
patients with Fibromyalgia, as
shown by lower NAA levels," the
investigators conclude.
Because the hippocampus has a critical role in
maintaining cognitive
functions, sleep regulation, and pain perception,
the researchers
suggest that metabolic dysfunction of hippocampus may be
implicated
in the symptoms of this puzzling syndrome.
The number
of tender points on the body was assessed in all patients
and a visual analog
scale was used to measure pain.
Patient age averaged 35.7 years, and
their average disease duration
was 18.1 months. All of the patients had
cognitive functional
impairments on the Mini-Mental State Examination,
eight (35.5 percent)
were depressed according to the Hamilton Depression
Scale,
and nine (60 percent) had sleep disturbances. None of the
control
subjects had any problems in these areas.
"NAA levels of the
right and left hippocampi were lower in the
patients compared to controls,"
Emad's team explains. "Another
statistically significant difference was
observed in choline levels in
the right hippocampus, which were higher in the
patient group." The
Fibromyalgia patients also had significantly lower
NAA to choline and
NAA to creatine ratios compared with the control
subjects.
There were no differences between the groups in other
metabolites
measured or in the choline to creatine ratio.
In the
patient group, language scores were significantly correlated with
choline
and creatine levels, but there was no significant correlation
between the
levels of the metabolites or their ratios and the number
of tender
points.
"The hippocampus was dysfunctional in patients with Fibromyalgia,
as
shown by lower NAA levels," the investigators conclude.
Because
the hippocampus has a critical role in maintaining cognitive
functions,
sleep regulation, and pain perception, the researchers
suggest that
metabolic dysfunction of hippocampus may be
implicated
in the symptoms of this puzzling
syndrome."
This research may
explain why certain therapeutic grade essential oils with specific electrical frequencies) have helped me since
2001. They affect the limbic portion of the
brain via the olfactory system, which is tied to the
hippocampus. I hope researchers will continue this
intriguing investigation into brain function and FMS/CFIDS.
Regular medical tests seem to always come back "normal," yet we know our
bodies are not functioning normally! My husband thinks our "computer"
(brain) has some kind of an electrical malfunction -
maybe due to genetics, stress, viruses, weather, molds, toxins.....who
knows?! Write dombush@bellsouth.net for info about therapeutic essential oils. Also
see www.fms-help.com/oils.htm and www.oil-testimonials.com/6861.
Dominie's 100 Tips for Coping with
Fibromyalgia & Insomnia
My Fibromyalgia Story
My Chronic
Fatigue Story
My Insomnia Story
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