Scientists have uncovered new genetic risk factors for a long-term chronic pain condition in the largest study of its kind.
People with fibromyalgia have been “dismissed” for decades, experts said, but research that examined the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of more than 2.5 million people found the syndrome “represents a problem in pain processing”.
Estimates suggest that between 2% and 8% of the global population are living with fibromyalgia.
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Symptoms vary from person to person, ranging from widespread pain, stiffness, fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and problems with memory or learning new things.
The research led by a global team of experts included data from adults in Britain, the United States, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Estonia.
Of the over 2.5 million participants, some 55,000 had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
The team analysed the genetic differences in people with or without the condition to pinpoint the most common changes.
DNA sequence variants were found in 26 regions of the genome that affected the risk of developing fibromyalgia.
Study co-senior author and King’s College London professor of genomic epidemiology Dr Frances Williams said: “By studying the DNA of over two million individuals, we can be confident that the findings are real and they suggest that fibromyalgia represents a problem in pain processing.”
Study co-senior author and University of Toronto professor of psychiatry Dr Michael Wainberg said: “This work changes how we think about fibromyalgia at a fundamental level.
“For decades, patients have been dismissed or told their pain is simply psychological.
“Our findings confirm the condition has a clear biological basis.”
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The study also uncovered a strong link between fibromyalgia risk within the gene HTT.
Mutations in this gene can cause Huntington’s disease, a rare inherited brain disorder with no cure.
Another variant pointed to a receptor that regulates HTT levels, which is already being investigated as a possible drug target for Huntington’s.
Elsewhere, the study suggests that there may be a genetic overlap between fibromyalgia and other conditions such as lower back pain and IBS.
Prof Williams noted that chronic pain syndromes sometimes “cluster together” in people and are genetically similar.
Targeting these underlying “shared mechanisms” could benefit a range of conditions, she said.
She added: “This study provides important new insights into why some people develop fibromyalgia syndrome and identifies biological pathways that could lead to new treatment approaches.
“One of these pathways is already the focus of drug trials for Huntington’s disease, raising the possibility that existing pharmaceutical research could eventually benefit people with fibromyalgia.
“The findings also help us better understand why fibromyalgia so often occurs alongside conditions such as anxiety and depression, bringing us closer to understanding the condition as a whole.”
Study co-lead author and University of Washington in Seattle assistant professor Dr Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong said: “Understanding how genes, environmental exposures and life events jointly contribute to the risk of fibromyalgia syndrome is critical.
“Further research into triggers of fibromyalgia and corresponding changes in neural tissues will help understand what drives fibromyalgia and how to treat it.” – PA Media/dpa
