Anne Jakobsen , Enrico De Martino , Bruno A.N. Couto , Margit M. Bach , Stian Ingemann-Molden , Thorvaldur S. Palsson , Jakob Udby Blicher , Adenauer G. Casali , Thomas Graven-Nielsen , Daniel Ciampi de Andrade
{"title":"Reduced alpha-band phase coherence and cortical complexity in fibromyalgia: A tms-eeg exploratory study","authors":"Anne Jakobsen , Enrico De Martino , Bruno A.N. Couto , Margit M. Bach , Stian Ingemann-Molden , Thorvaldur S. Palsson , Jakob Udby Blicher , Adenauer G. Casali , Thomas Graven-Nielsen , Daniel Ciampi de Andrade","doi":"10.1016/j.clinph.2026.2111711","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Cortico-spinal excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) is reduced in fibromyalgia, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) targeting M1 normalizes these changes and relieves symptoms. TMS combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) allows the measurement of M1 excitability and its connectivity to other regions, which may help clarify neurophysiological abnormalities in fibromyalgia. We assessed cortical excitability, oscillatory activity, and complexity in individuals with fibromyalgia compared to pain-free healthy controls.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Global- and local-mean field power, peak-to-peak amplitude, event-related spectral perturbation, intertrial coherence (ITC), natural frequency, and perturbational complexity index (PCIst) of the EEG response after left-M1 TMS were compared between groups (n = 18 fibromyalgia; n = 15 controls). Pain intensity, interference, current therapy, mood, and quality of life were assessed in individuals with fibromyalgia.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with controls, individuals with fibromyalgia showed a reduction in the alpha-band ITC in middle- (p = 0.044) and right-parieto-occipital areas (p = 0.040). Middle-parieto-occipital ITC negatively correlated with reported pain relief (rho = -0.552, p = 0.019). The PCIst was lower in fibromyalgia compared with controls (p = 0.009) and correlated with higher pain interference in general activity (rho = -0.486, p = 0.042).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Individuals with fibromyalgia have abnormal cortical connectivity compared with asymptomatic controls.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>TMS-EEG may provide insights on brain connectivity relevant for prognostication and therapy in fibromyalgia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10671,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Neurophysiology","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 2111711"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4000,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Neurophysiology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388245726002105","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/2/25 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
Cortico-spinal excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) is reduced in fibromyalgia, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) targeting M1 normalizes these changes and relieves symptoms. TMS combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) allows the measurement of M1 excitability and its connectivity to other regions, which may help clarify neurophysiological abnormalities in fibromyalgia. We assessed cortical excitability, oscillatory activity, and complexity in individuals with fibromyalgia compared to pain-free healthy controls.
Methods
Global- and local-mean field power, peak-to-peak amplitude, event-related spectral perturbation, intertrial coherence (ITC), natural frequency, and perturbational complexity index (PCIst) of the EEG response after left-M1 TMS were compared between groups (n = 18 fibromyalgia; n = 15 controls). Pain intensity, interference, current therapy, mood, and quality of life were assessed in individuals with fibromyalgia.
Results
Compared with controls, individuals with fibromyalgia showed a reduction in the alpha-band ITC in middle- (p = 0.044) and right-parieto-occipital areas (p = 0.040). Middle-parieto-occipital ITC negatively correlated with reported pain relief (rho = -0.552, p = 0.019). The PCIst was lower in fibromyalgia compared with controls (p = 0.009) and correlated with higher pain interference in general activity (rho = -0.486, p = 0.042).
Conclusion
Individuals with fibromyalgia have abnormal cortical connectivity compared with asymptomatic controls.
Significance
TMS-EEG may provide insights on brain connectivity relevant for prognostication and therapy in fibromyalgia.
期刊介绍:
As of January 1999, The journal Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, and its two sections Electromyography and Motor Control and Evoked Potentials have amalgamated to become this journal - Clinical Neurophysiology.
Clinical Neurophysiology is the official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Brazilian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Czech Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, the Italian Clinical Neurophysiology Society and the International Society of Intraoperative Neurophysiology.The journal is dedicated to fostering research and disseminating information on all aspects of both normal and abnormal functioning of the nervous system. The key aim of the publication is to disseminate scholarly reports on the pathophysiology underlying diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system of human patients. Clinical trials that use neurophysiological measures to document change are encouraged, as are manuscripts reporting data on integrated neuroimaging of central nervous function including, but not limited to, functional MRI, MEG, EEG, PET and other neuroimaging modalities.