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Neurological Sciences

02-01-2025 | Fibromyalgia | Review Article

Brain modulatory effects of rehabilitation interventions in fibromyalgia: a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies

Authors: Nguyen Thanh Nhu, Tran Thi Quynh Trang, David Yen-Ting Chen, Jiunn-Horng Kang

Published in: Neurological Sciences

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Abstract

Objectives

Fibromyalgia imposes a considerable burden of disability worldwide, and its therapies include rehabilitation interventions. However, the overall brain modulatory effects of rehabilitation interventions and their effects on clinical improvements in patients with fibromyalgia remain unclear. This systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies synthesised evidence for the brain modulatory effects of rehabilitation in patients with fibromyalgia.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception to August 2023 for English articles on rehabilitation-induced brain function changes in patients with fibromyalgia. Methodological evaluation was performed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database checklist.

Results

We included 17 studies with 416 participants reporting the brain modulatory effects of several rehabilitation methods (i.e. exercises, brain stimulation, cognitive behavioural therapy, nerve stimulation, and neurofeedback). These studies received fair to good scores on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Rehabilitation-induced changes in brain function were correlated with the presentation of fibromyalgia. From the included studies, baseline brain functions could successfully predict posttreatment changes in disease symptoms. However, limited evidence is available for the effects of rehabilitation on brain structure.

Conclusion

Rehabilitation was found to modulate brain functions to alleviate fibromyalgia symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life. This finding supports the hypothesis that brain modulation is one of the mechanisms underlying the rehabilitation-mediated mitigation of fibromyalgia. Our results suggest that brain function measured through functional magnetic resonance imaging can help predict the response of patients with fibromyalgia to rehabilitation programmes (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023387612).
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Metadata
Title
Brain modulatory effects of rehabilitation interventions in fibromyalgia: a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies
Authors
Nguyen Thanh Nhu
Tran Thi Quynh Trang
David Yen-Ting Chen
Jiunn-Horng Kang
Publication date
02-01-2025
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Neurological Sciences
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-024-07967-x

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