title: Impaired pre-attentive auditory processing in fibromyalgia: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fibromyalgia (FM) patients often show deficits in cognitive functions such as attention and working memory. We assumed that pre-attentive information processing, a crucial element in human perception and cognition, would be altered in FM patients. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine whether FM patients exhibit alterations in pre-attentive processing as assessed by auditory mismatch negativity (MMN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Auditory evoked magnetic fields were recorded in FM patients (n=18) and healthy control subjects (n=21) during a duration-deviant auditory oddball paradigm. The magnetic mismatch negativity (MMNm) was obtained by subtracting responses to standard tones from responses to deviant tones. Pressure pain thresholds over the thenar and trapezius muscles were determined using an algometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MMNm peak amplitudes in right hemispheres were attenuated, and the directional asymmetry coefficient of the MMNm amplitude was lower in FM patients, indicating a more leftward asymmetry than in healthy control subjects. Smaller right MMNm amplitude was associated with lower pressure pain thresholds of thenar muscles in FM patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that pre-attentive processing of auditory information is impaired in FM patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provided neurophysiological evidence of impaired pre-attentive sensory change detection in FM.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; MEG Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woojin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: MEG Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Manyoel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: MEG Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: June Sic
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: MEG Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dajung J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; MEG Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: chungc@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chun Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Auditory evoked fields; Chronic pain; Fibromyalgia; Magnetoencephalography; Mismatch negativity (MMN)