Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Somatic symptoms are common in conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
OBJECTIVE: Authors investigated a potential shared pathologic mechanism: a generalized perceptual abnormality where there is heightened responsiveness to varied sensory stimulation, including pain.
METHOD: A composite measure of sensory sensitivity was created and compared with measures of somatic symptoms, comorbid psychological disturbances, and self-reported physical functioning in 38 patients with FM and/or CFS.
RESULTS: Sensory amplification influenced physical functioning indirectly through pain intensity, and physical symptoms and fatigue also independently contributed to physical functioning.
CONCLUSION: Sensory amplification may be an underlying pathophysiologic mechanism in these disorders that is relatively independent of depression and depressive symptoms.
Source: Geisser ME, Strader Donnell C, Petzke F, Gracely RH, Clauw DJ, Williams DA. Comorbid somatic symptoms and functional status in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: sensory amplification as a common mechanism. Psychosomatics. 2008 May-Jun;49(3):235-42. doi: 10.1176/appi.psy.49.3.235. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18448779