Structural and functional thalamocortical connectivity study in female fibromyalgia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Pain Research

Background:

• Thalamocortical network dysfunction is implicated in fibromyalgia (FM) pathophysiology.
• Specific altered networks and their relation to pain perception in FM remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate structural and functional alterations in thalamocortical networks in individuals with fibromyalgia.
• To determine if these alterations correlate with abnormal pain perception.

Main Methods:

• Combined vertex-wise subcortical shape and cortical thickness analysis.
• Structural covariance and resting-state functional connectivity analyses were performed.
• Analyses utilized neuroimaging techniques to examine brain structure and function.

Main Results:

• Fibromyalgia patients showed left posterior thalamus shape deflation, impacting ventral posterior lateral and pulvinar nuclei.
• Negative covariance between left posterior thalamus deflation and left inferior parietal cortex thickness in FM, contrasting with positive covariance in controls.
• Reduced functional connectivity between the posterior thalamus and periaqueductal gray, but enhanced connectivity with the inferior parietal regions in FM patients.
• Enhanced thalamo-parietal connectivity correlated with a lower electrical pain threshold.

Conclusions:

• Structural alterations in the thalamus interact with cortical regions in a maladaptive manner in FM.
• These neurobiological changes may increase brain responsiveness to stimuli, contributing to pain amplification in fibromyalgia.
• Findings highlight the role of thalamocortical dysregulation in fibromyalgia pathophysiology and pain perception.