Excerpt:

Compared with healthy controls, FM patients had significantly higher levels of glutamate+glutamine (Glx) (mean +/- SD: 10.71 +/- 0.50 arbitrary institutional units versus 9.89 +/- 1.04; P=0.049) and higher glutamate+glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) ratios (1.90 +/- 0.12 versus 1.72 +/- 0.23; P=0.034) in the posterior gyrus. Myo-inositol (Ins) levels of the right and left hippocampi were significantly lower in FM patients (4.49 +/- 0.74 versus 5.17 +/- 0.62; P=0.008 and 4.91 +/- 0.85 versus 6.09 +/- 0.78; P=0.004, respectively). In FM patients, there were also decreased myo-inositol/creatine (Ins/Cr) ratios in the left sensory-motor area (P=0.05) and the left hippocampus (P=0.002) and lower levels of choline (P=0.019) and N-acetyl aspartate + N-acetyl aspartyl glutamate (NAA+NAG) (P=0.034) in the left hippocampus. Significant correlations between depression, pain and global function and the posterior gyrus Glx levels and Glx/Cr ratios were observed.

Conclusions

Glx within the posterior gyrus could be a pathological factor in FM. Hippocampal dysfunction may be partially responsible for the depressive symptoms of FM. Additional studies with larger samples are required to confirm these preliminary data.