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More than 5 million people suffer from fibromyalgia, a syndrome characterized by chronic muscle discomfort, sleep problems, pain hypersensitivity and sometimes mood disorders.

No definitive lab tests exist and symptoms vary, so patients often struggle for years before being diagnosed. But new research at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 could someday lead to neuroimaging-based tests and improved patient care.

For a study published in October 2016 in the journal Pain, researchers conducted functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans on 37 fibromyalgia patients and 35 healthy people as they exposed them to nonpainful visual, auditory and tactile stimulation, as well as painful pressure.

Among those with fibromyalgia, areas of the brain associated with pain lit up more during the painful pressure. They also showed a distinct 鈥渂rain signature鈥� during nonpainful stimulation.

Judging by neuroimaging results alone, researchers could identify the fibromyalgia patients with 93 percent accuracy.

Ultimately, this neurological roadmap could be used to speed diagnosis and help doctors determine which subtype patients are, said lead author Tor Wager, a professor of psychology and neuroscience.

鈥淭hat could help us recognize fibromyalgia for what it is鈥攁 disorder of the central nervous system鈥攁nd treat it more effectively,鈥� Wager said.