The relationship between physical activity and brain responses to pain in fibromyalgia.

Unlabelled: The relationship between physical activity and central nervous system mechanisms of pain in fibromyalgia (FM) is unknown. This study determined whether physical activity was predictive of brain responses to experimental pain in FM using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty-four participants (n = 16 FM; n = 18 Control) completed self-report and accelerometer measures of physical activity and underwent fMRI of painful heat stimuli.

Are women with fibromyalgia less physically active than healthy women?

Purpose: The primary purpose was to quantify and compare physical activity in fibromyalgia (FM) patients to age-matched healthy controls using both objective and self-report measures. Secondary purposes were to compare self-reported and objective measurement of physical activity and to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and pain and mood.

Method: Patients with FM (n=39) and healthy controls (n=40) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and wore an accelerometer at the hip for 7 d.

Imaging pain of fibromyalgia.

Brain imaging studies have provided objective evidence of abnormal central regulation of pain in fibromyalgia (FM). Resting brain blood flow studies have reported mixed findings for several brain regions, whereas decreased thalamic blood flow has been noted by several investigators. Studies examining the function of the nociceptive system in FM have reported augmented brain responses to both painful and non-painful stimuli that may be influenced by psychologic dispositions such as depressed mood and catastrophizing.