Aplicación de la medida del flujo sanguíneo cerebral, mediante técnicas de ultrasonografía Doppler transcraneal funcional (fTCD), al estudio de la Sensibilización Central al Dolor y los déficits cognitivos en la fibromialgia

Abstract

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disease characterized by generalized diffuse musculoskeletal pain. The etiology and pathophysiology of FMS remain to be confirmed, although the general consensus is that Central Nervous Sensitization and deficient pain-inhibiting mechanisms may be involved, which in turn might be related to the cognitive deficits found in this disease. The aim of this Thesis was to analyze the temporal dynamics of cerebral blood flow (CBF) modulations, during painful stimulation and arithmetic processing in FMS, using functional transcranial Doppler sonography. Results add evidence to the idea of a Central Nervous Nociceptive Sensitization to Pain in FMS. These alterations are modulated by psychological and medical factors related to this disease. Furthermore, the results show the occurrence of cognitive impairments in FMS, which are associated with alterations in the CBF responses during cognitive processing. Moreover, some clinical features in FMS (like pain) might modulate these CBF abnormalities, supporting evidence regarding the intrusive effect of pain as the origin of these cognitive deficits, which would explain the high prevalence of cognitive impairments in patients with FMS.