Altered cerebral blood flow velocity features in fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions

Abstract

The aim of this study is to characterize in resting-state conditions the cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) signals of fibromyalgia patients. The anterior and middle cerebral arteries of both hemispheres from 15 women with fibromyalgia and 15 healthy women were monitored using Transcranial Doppler (TCD) during a 5-minute eyes-closed resting period. Several signal processing methods based on time, information theory, frequency and time-frequency analyses were used in order to extract different features to characterize the CBFV signals in the different vessels. Main results indicated that, in comparison with control subjects, fibromyalgia patients showed a higher complexity of the envelope CBFV and a different distribution of the power spectral density. In addition, it has been observed that complexity and spectral features show correlations with clinical pain parameters and emotional factors. The characterization features were used in a lineal model to discriminate between fibromyalgia patients and healthy controls, providing a high accuracy. These findings indicate that CBFV signals, specifically their complexity and spectral characteristics, contain information that may be relevant for the assessment of fibromyalgia patients in resting-state conditions.

Cerebral blood flow variability in fibromyalgia syndrome: Relationships with emotional, clinical and functional variables

“…A number of previous studies demonstrated reduced HRV in FMS [ 24 – 27 ]. However, to the best of our knowledge, only one study has evaluated CBFV variability in FMS [ 28 ]. Rodríguez et al [ 28 ] analyzed frequency, time-frequency and information theory features of the TCD raw signal, in addition to the so-called envelope curve of the TCD spectrum.…”

“…However, to the best of our knowledge, only one study has evaluated CBFV variability in FMS [ 28 ]. Rodríguez et al [ 28 ] analyzed frequency, time-frequency and information theory features of the TCD raw signal, in addition to the so-called envelope curve of the TCD spectrum. While the TCD raw signal contains information on all of the blood cells moving at different velocities, the envelope curve is an already processed signal derived from the velocity of the fastest blood cells generating the highest Doppler shift [ 28 , 29 ].…”

“…Rodríguez et al [ 28 ] analyzed frequency, time-frequency and information theory features of the TCD raw signal, in addition to the so-called envelope curve of the TCD spectrum. While the TCD raw signal contains information on all of the blood cells moving at different velocities, the envelope curve is an already processed signal derived from the velocity of the fastest blood cells generating the highest Doppler shift [ 28 , 29 ]. Power spectral analyses by Rodríguez et al [ 28 ] showed a lower LF/HF ratio in the left ACA and both MCAs, and reduced spectral power at LF in the left MCA in FMS patients compared to controls.…”

“…While the TCD raw signal contains information on all of the blood cells moving at different velocities, the envelope curve is an already processed signal derived from the velocity of the fastest blood cells generating the highest Doppler shift [ 28 , 29 ]. Power spectral analyses by Rodríguez et al [ 28 ] showed a lower LF/HF ratio in the left ACA and both MCAs, and reduced spectral power at LF in the left MCA in FMS patients compared to controls. Lower values of the LF/HF ratio were associated with higher depression, trait-anxiety and pain intensity in the total sample.…”

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“…ere was also no significant difference in end-tidal CO 2 during the modes of PMS and AMS, thereby indicating that breathing pattern, ventilation, and PCO 2 did not impact the MCAv measurements significantly. Both middle cerebral artery [21] and regional cerebral blood flow changes, the latter mainly in the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortices, appear to correlate with changes in cognitive and mood states in healthy humans [22,23].…”