Insular hypometabolism in a patient with fibromyalgia: a case study.
BACKGROUND
Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated differential involvement of a variety of brain centers in fibromyalgia both at baseline and in response to stimulation. The insular cortex is one such structure.


RESULTS
A 46-year-old woman with chronic widespread pain underwent positron emission tomography utilizing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose while participating as a healthy control subject in a brain imaging study. Analysis of the scan revealed metabolic hypoactivity within the left insular cortex as an incidental finding. Soon after her scan, she underwent further clinical evaluation and was subsequently diagnosed with fibromyalgia.


CONCLUSIONS
The potential contribution of insular dysfunction to the development of hyperalgesia has been demonstrated in rat models via local manipulations of dopaminergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) ergic, and opioidergic neurotransmission within this region. Thus, our demonstration of insular hypometabolism in this patient's case may have bearing on her experience of chronic widespread pain.
Wood
Patrick B
PB
Department of Family Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Louisiana 71103, USA. pwood@lsuhsc.edu
Patterson
James C
JC
Jasmin
Luc D
LD
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18