Research Article Changes in Baroreflex Control are Associated with Painfulness in Fibromyalgia
by Christoph Best1, Ana L Sayegh2, Anna Mueck2, Julia Emde2, Kati Thieme3, Heidrun H Krämer2*
1Department of Neurology, Philipps-University, Germany
2Department of Neurology, Justus Liebig University, Germany
3Department of Medical Psychology, Philipps-University, Germany
*Corresponding author: Heidrun H Krämer, Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Klinikstraße 33, 35392 Giessen, Germany
Received Date: September 04, 2025
Accepted Date: September 15, 2025
Published Date: September 19, 2025
Citation: Best C, Sayegh AL, Mueck A, Emde J, Thieme K, et al. (2025) Changes in Baroreflex Control are Associated with Painfulness in Fibromyalgia. J Neurol Exp Neural Sci 7: 161. DOI: 10.29011/2577-1442.100061
Abstract
The role of the sympathetic nervous system dysfunction in fibromyalgia (FM) is unclear In FM patients (n=10) and healthy controls (HC; n=11) pain intensity (numeric rating scale; NRS), cardiac baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) via microneurography at rest and during baroreflex stimulation (lower body negative pressure; LBNP) were assessed. Resting sympathetic activity was higher in FM at baseline (FM patients: 31.1±2.3 bursts/min; HC: 24.3±1.5 bursts/ min, F= 5.736; p= 0.028) and during baroreflex stimulation (F= 5.057; p= 0.044). Pain intensity correlated with MSNA activity (r= 0.760; p= 0.018) and showed a tendency to a negative correlation with BRS (r= -0.641; p= 0.063). Changes in the baroreflex circuit with increased sympathetic outflow might contribute to pain in FM.
Keywords: Fibromyalgia; Microneurography; Lower body negative pressure; MSNA; Pain control
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