Brain dysfunction tied to fibromyalgia

[Warpy]

NEW YORK - 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 in 10 healthy women who were the same age as the other patients.
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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. The number of tender points on the body was assessed in all patients and a visual analog scale was used to measure pain.
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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.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26455146/

More and more, this is turning out to be a brain disease, not a moral failure or hypochondria.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I'm not officially diagnosed, just suspected of having it, but I have

heard that it shows up fairly often in bipolar women, which is is something I have been diagnosed with.

At any rate, I am really sick of the brain fog, pain, and exhaustion. x(

[Warpy]

4. The good news is that there are a few treatments out there

that will improve sleep and reduce pain. Getting diagnosed is important. Please see a rheumatologist and ask to have trigger points tested. It's pretty obvious when someone has fibro, they tend to hit the ceiling and cling there by their fingernails.

In the meantime, be kind to yourself. Do what you can and then rest and to hell with anybody who tells you to snap out of it. If you really have fibro, it's a real disease just as much as heart disease is and people who have it can't just snap out of it through will.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Thank you. I know I should follow up on it. Even if it's not fibro it's _something_ Something

has turned me stupid and makes me hurt. I know the "laziness" comes with the bipolar too and so can the "dumb".. but the pain?? (I suppose it could be part of the colitis issue as it's an immune condition and does cause arthritis type reactions, but that doesn't explain being barely able to brush my hair some days because it freaking hurts so much. :cry:)

[jeff30997]

2. "not a moral failure or hypochondria"

Thanks Warpy.I suffer from fibromyalgia and peoples keep saying that I'm

lazy or that it's hypochondria.It's very frustrating. :(

[bkkyosemite]

8. Have it

It can be connected with low or borderline thyroid as many with fibro have this. It can also be connected to other disorders especially sleep apnea which I also have. I have a severe case of fibromyalgia and out of the 18 tender points you should have at least 11. I have all 18. I have a thyroid that bounces from normal to low and moderate sleep apnea. I also believe that this is a good indication from this article that doctors have not found out exactly what is happening to a patient. We have been mistreated by the medical establishment and called crazy, anxious and depressed. I can't wait for the day when I am able to laugh in their face for there ignorance. Most rhuematologists don't want to deal with the disease.

[gblady]

3. thanks for this!

That ol' hippocampus is such an active player in our lives...
I've been studying the role it plays in PTSD and trauma.
Fascinating stuff.

[DUgosh]

5. I have been diagnosed for 4 years

But I could have told you it started in my brain. I told everybody including my Dr that something was wrong in there. One of the earliest symtoms was loss of speech, or word power. I used to be very articulate. I started calling the vacumn cleaner the lawn mower, reruns on tv became run-ree's, I did alot of pointing and saying "you know" that thing right there... meaning the door, or the sink, ... the car. Words were completely jumbled. Mid forties and I was literally afraid to speak. Another early sign was facial recognition. I could not recognize people from my son's school at say... the grocery store, folks from the post office... at the gas station were vaguely familar buy not placeable. My brother in law of 20 years was leaning against a counter at the bank, he started talking to me and I did not know him until he mentioned my sister in laws name. The trigger points and mobility issues came soon after, but it started in my head. Another thing is I can forecast rain from the back of my head behind my right ear. from three days out. I also started hearing music 24/7 on July 10, 2003. But I was a bit scared to mention that to anyone either. I can smell the colors in ph levels.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Yes! I go through that all the time. I can't find the right words anymore and I frequently

get to a word "sideways" by listing off a bunch of similar ones until I get to the right place. It's like my brain no longer has a direct path to that word, so I have to travel a circuitous route to get to it. ARRGH!

[bkkyosemite]

9. DUgosh

I will hear a song over and over in my head from time to time. The neurologist called it an ear worm......yes whatever this is is affecting our brains and I have said this for years to my doctors. They just stare at me and document it as if I am crazy. I am not crazy and either are you :-)

[DUgosh]

10. OMG

I drew this "earworm" out on a graph. It's the same 21 beats every 8 seconds. If you draw it out it looks like an electrical oscillating current ( yes, I remember that from my brainy past I used to be very intelligent, almost cosmic... brag, brag)
This wave of current goes up two times by half octaves in the next 42 seconds then back down a whole octave and starts over, electric brain wave, epilesy, seizure disorder or permanet ear worm call it anything you want... one way or another you must make peace with it or you will go mad.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. the info about the hippocanthus being part of olfactory got my attention

I have strange smells I can't get rid of, that seem to be stuck in my sinuses.

I did a three day marathon with the neti pot and the odors subsided but now they are back. Makes me wonder.

Also in relation to the noises. I have always had earworms and tinnitus. My TMJ doc says tinnitus is compounded and exacerbated by the TMJ by the way.

However I also have wierd noises..example: I will be dozing off to sleep and I will hear what sounds like gunshots, or fireworks or some kind of explosion in my brain. Not through my ears from the outside but from inside my brain. It is most strange indeed.

[salvorhardin]

14. Noises in your head

I will be dozing off to sleep and I will hear what sounds like gunshots, or fireworks or some kind of explosion in my brain. Not through my ears from the outside but from inside my brain.

I'm a guy and I don't have fibro but I've had that happen to me too. Man, it's the freakiest thing when you first experience it. It used to be somewhat frequent when I was younger, but now that I'm over-the-hill it rarely happens anymore.

[DUgosh]

15. I pictured a little Gilligan in my brain playing the Bongo Drums

when I was a girl, the music and the drums are definetly not in the ear. I thought everyone heard those inside the brain thumps so I never mentioned it. I only just recently asked any of my relatives if they could smell colors. No none of them would admit to it. My 81 year old mother rolled her eyes and said, " that must have come from your Daddy's people"

[Warpy]

13. Some of that is synesthesia

meaning experiencing sensory input in two or more areas when most people only experience one, like hearing the musical note G when looking at orange.

The rest of your symptoms have me wondering if we were separated at birth.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. wow, since I am in the middle of a flare right now, this is great news

mine is so mild compared to others who post here, and others of my acquaintance. It goes into remission and just when I think it is gone except for the actual tender spots, it roars back up

Fatigue (um caused by a week of being up late on DU preceded by a week of irregular hours and being in a time zone 2 hours behind my own..) is usually the main trigger...sets up a cycle where I don't sleep because I am hurting in the night.

I spent yesterday evening wrapped up in an electric blanket in Texas in August.
This morning took a HOT soaking bath with Batherapy liquid and I feel some better but not great.

Also in the middle of a med change on my antidepressants, stress from job hunting, and many other things

[Duppers]

16. bookmarking for later

I was diagnosed w/ CFIDS ( www.CFIDS.org ) which shares many of the same symptoms and certainly the brain dysfunctioning.

so few people even want to understand, much less sympathize. they are so cruel.

so thanks muchums for the article/link, warpy.

[LaurenG]

17. That is very encouraging.

Thanks for the information Warpy!