Neurophysiological and psychosocial mechanisms of fibromyalgia: A comprehensive review and call for an integrative model

Ana Margarida Pinto; Mariana Luís; Rinie Geenen; Filipe Palavra; Mark A Lumley; Jacob N Ablin; Kirstine Amris; Jaime Branco; Dan Buskila; João Castelhano; Miguel Castelo-Branco; Leslie J Crofford; Mary-Ann Fitzcharles; Winfried Häuser; Eva Kosek; Philip J Mease; Tiago Reis Marques; Johannes W G Jacobs; Paula Castilho; José A P da Silva

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105235

Neurophysiological and psychosocial mechanisms of fibromyalgia: A comprehensive review and call for an integrative model

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023 Aug:151:105235. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105235. Epub 2023 May 18.

Authors

Ana Margarida Pinto¹, Mariana Luís², Rinie Geenen³, Filipe Palavra⁴, Mark A Lumley⁵, Jacob N Ablin⁶, Kirstine Amris⁷, Jaime Branco⁸, Dan Buskila⁹, João Castelhano¹⁰, Miguel Castelo-Branco¹¹, Leslie J Crofford¹², Mary-Ann Fitzcharles¹³, Winfried Häuser¹⁴, Eva Kosek¹⁵, Philip J Mease¹⁶, Tiago Reis Marques¹⁷, Johannes W G Jacobs¹⁸, Paula Castilho¹⁹, José A P da Silva²⁰

Affiliations

¹ University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Psychological Medicine Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Martinus J. Langeveldgebouw, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands; Altrecht Psychosomatic Medicine Eikenboom, Vrijbaan 2, 3705 WC Zeist, the Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Centre for Child Development, Neuropediatric Unit. Pediatric Hospital, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Avenida Afonso Romão, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Ave., Suite 7908, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Internal Medicine H, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Rheumatology Department, Egas Moniz Hospital - Lisboa Ocidental Hospital Centre (CHLO-EPE), R. da Junqueira 126, 1349-019 Lisbon, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University Lisbon (NMS/UNL), Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheba, Israel. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹¹ University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹² Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹³ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Ave, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A4, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁴ Department Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁵ Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden; Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁶ Swedish Medical Center/Providence St. Joseph Health, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁷ Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2BU, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁸ Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁹ University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
²⁰ University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.

PMID: 37207842
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105235

Abstract

Research into the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms involved in fibromyalgia has progressed remarkably in recent years. Despite this, current accounts of fibromyalgia fail to capture the complex, dynamic, and mutual crosstalk between neurophysiological and psychosocial domains. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature in order to: a) synthesize current knowledge on fibromyalgia; b) explore and highlight multi-level links and pathways between different systems; and c) build bridges connecting disparate perspectives. An extensive panel of international experts in neurophysiological and psychosocial aspects of fibromyalgia discussed the collected evidence and progressively refined and conceptualized its interpretation. This work constitutes an essential step towards the development of a model capable of integrating the main factors implicated in fibromyalgia into a single, unified construct which appears indispensable to foster the understanding, assessment, and intervention for fibromyalgia.

Keywords: Dynamic interplay; Fibromyalgia; Integrative; Neurophysiological abnormalities; Psychosocial processes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Fibromyalgia*
Humans
Models, Biopsychosocial*