The Causes Of Fibromyalgia Are Complex And Closely Tied To The Central Nervous System

The potential causes of fibromyalgia are extremely complex and puzzling for researchers.  Patients who suffer from fibromyalgia may experience chronic pain and stiffness in bones and muscles.  This is comparable to arthritis; however sufferers also report numerous other fibromyalgia symptoms such as extreme fatigue and depression raising the possibility that something much greater is to blame besides rapidly deteriorating joints or sagging muscles.

Researchers are taking a closer look at the brain’s role and in particular the Central Nervous System’s role in trying to determine any cause and effect relationship.  Some researchers believe that the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers might be suffering from a chemical imbalance.  This would explain the presence of extra symptoms such as fatigue and depression.  In other words, researchers think the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers might not be producing enough or the right amount of neurotransmitters namely endorphins, serotonin and dopamine.

For instance, one study looked at decreased levels of dopamine found in the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers compared to people without fibromyalgia.   Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, performs many functions in the brain related to motor function and cognition.  It also has a significant impact on the body’s sleep cycle, attention span and mood.  Recently, it has become known that dopamine also plays a role in how the brain processes pain.  Some researchers are proposing that decreased levels of dopamine in the brain may account as to why fibromyalgia sufferers experience so much pain, chronic fatigue, episodes of depression and even trouble sleeping.

One theory that seems to stand out as to why the brain stops producing dopamine has to do with the amount of serotonin produced by the body.  Research suggests a positive and negative correlation between dopamine and serotonin.  For instance, as the levels of serotonin increase in the brain, so do the levels of dopamine.  Conversely, as the levels of serotonin in the brain decrease, so do the levels of dopamine.

Serotonin, in case you don’t know, is an important neurotransmitter in the brain that has a lot to do with overall mood.  Higher levels of serotonin in the brain usually reflect a much happier, spirited person.  Usually, people who are low in levels of serotonin become depressed or show signs of it.  People who are low in serotonin also seem to exhibit low levels of dopamine and subsequently show signs of depression and/or fatigue.

Low levels of brain chemicals is just one of the many potential causes of fibromyalgia.  People who receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis may need medical intervention or some type of pain relief.  To combat the disease and symptoms, doctors have prescribed their patients fibromyalgia medication in the form of anti-depressants to help raise levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain; however there are other effective methods of treatment for fibromyalgia.  These will be discussed next time.