Hyperexcitable C nociceptors in fibromyalgia
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that peripheral C nociceptor function may be abnormal in fibromyalgia and that C nociceptor dysfunction may contribute to the symptoms reported by these patients. METHODS: Microneurography was used to record C nociceptors of 30 female patients meeting criteria for fibromyalgia and compared with recordings from 17 female patients with small-fiber neuropathy and 9 female controls. RESULTS: We obtained stable recordings of 186 C nociceptors in the fibromyalgia group, 114 from small-fiber neuropathy patients, and 66 from controls. The mechanosensitive nociceptors in the fibromyalgia patients behaved normally, but the silent nociceptors in 76.6% of fibromyalgia patients exhibited abnormalities. Spontaneous activity was detected in 31% of silent nociceptors in fibromyalgia, 34% in small-fiber neuropathy, and 2.2% in controls. Sensitization to mechanical stimulation was found in 24.2% of silent nociceptors in fibromyalgia, 22.7% in small-fiber neuropathy, and 3.7% in controls. Abnormally high slowing of conduction velocity when first stimulated at 0.25Hz was more common in fibromyalgia. INTERPRETATION: We show for the first time that the majority of fibromyalgia patients have abnormal C nociceptors. Many silent nociceptors exhibit hyperexcitability resembling that in small-fiber neuropathy, but high activity-dependent slowing of conduction velocity is more common in fibromyalgia patients, and may constitute a distinguishing feature. We infer that ab…
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Peripheral nervous system involvement in a subgroup of women with fibromyalgia syndrome provided a new perspective.
“peripheral nervous system involvement in a subgroup of women with FMS provided a new perspective32,41,50”
From Pain and small fiber pathology in men with fibromyalgia syndrome (2024) · cites this paper as [41]
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BackgroundSelf-citationNociception, pain, negative moods, and behavior selection
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Central Sensitization and Small-fiber Neuropathy Are Associated in Patients With Fibromyalgia
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- Authors
- Serra, J., Collado, A., Solà, R., Antonelli, F., Torres, X., Salgueiro, M., Quiles, C., & Bostock, H.
- Affiliations
- Parc Científic de Barcelona (ES)
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (ES)
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Serra, Jordi
- Venue
- Annals of Neurology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-02
- Volume
- 75
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 196-208
- ISSN
- 0364-5134 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-8249
- OpenAlex
- W1567257801
- Cited by
- 295
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 19
- FWCI
- 16.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of Neurology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Keywords
- fibromyalgia, C nociceptors, hyperexcitability, spontaneous activity, mechanical sensitivity, small fiber neuropathy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Biophysics, Electric Stimulation, Female, Fibromyalgia, Humans, Hyperalgesia, Middle Aged, Neural Conduction, Nociceptors, Cohort Studies, Case-Control Studies, Pain Threshold, Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated, Young Adult
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