Three new studies recently published by researcher Dr. Patrick Wood have found connections between the physical make up of a patient’s brain, and their fibromyalgia symptoms. Sponsored by the American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association (AFSA) , Wood’s study found that abnormalities in brain chemicals and structure directly corresponded to certain symptoms of FM.

The main focus of the study was on the part of the brain called the Hippocampus, which regulates things like memory, stress, and the body’s experience of and response to pain.

“Initially, Wood demonstrated that an important metabolite (NAA/Cr) was abnormally low in the hippocampus and was related to the severity of the fibromyalgia patients’ symptoms.¹ N-acetylasparate (NAA) represents how effectively your neurons are functioning and creatine (Cr) represents the amount of energy consumed. Computing the ratio of NAA to Cr is thought to help standardize individual results for more accurate comparisons.

Next, Wood showed that fibromyalgia patients had reduced gray matter in the hippocampus and it appears to be related to a loss of dopamine activity in this region.² Hippocampal dopamine plays a strong role in the pain inhibitory system, so a drop in activity could help explain why fibromyalgia patients have pain all over.

Although loss of gray matter can sound scarey, it appears to be reversible. Wood’s most recent article offers proof that the brain imaging findings in the hippocampus are directly tied to the symptoms of fibromyalgia (at least in some people) and can be reversed with the proper therapy.³ According to a patient case report, a 47-year-old woman who exhibited an abnormally low NAA/Cr ratio was successfully treated by Wood. A follow-up image taken of her brain scan showed that the NAA/Cr value increased to normal. “

These findings are extremely important because they scientifically prove that there are real physical causes and effects of Fibromyalgia. For those doctors who still believe that FM is a purely psychological illness, a giance at Dr. Wood’s study might help them change their minds.