They have often felt misunderstood. Or worse, accused of simulating an ailment. But now science proves them right. And that medical geneticists have discovered that fibromyalgia is a disease of neurological origin, neurochemical imbalances result of the central nervous system.

Thanks to a study conducted with 3,000 people-of which two-thirds of them were suffering from fibromyalgia and chronically fatigue has been determined that there are 90 polymorphisms in the DNA of patients that affect the immune and nervous system.

This research “represents the only evidence of genetic markers associated with fibromyalgia”, say the authors, Genomic Genetics International (GGI). “There is sufficient evidence to consider this condition as a disease of organic basis, provided it is properly diagnosed,” said Dr. José Ignacio Lao, director of GGI.

The problem experienced by patients suffering from this condition is that your immune system tends to respond in an exaggerated way. Geneticists have discovered the interaction of two genes that explain why the painful stimulus is stronger in patients with fibromyalgia.

There is even another -called mu- opioid receptor gene “that makes these people not only perceive more physical pain, but also the psychic” wields the director of GGI. “A social rejection or a ruptured partner leaves them deeper than other people without this genetic variant footprint,” he adds. Beyond the pain suffered by fibromyalgia – “at all levels, not only skeletal muscle”

Lao points out these are affected their ability to maintain the brain’s chemical balance. Suffer from a trend deficit of neurotransmitters-the brain chemicals responsible for transmitting nervous hence within the pathology has an inclination to memory loss (early cognitive impairment), depression and sleep disorders, lack serotonin. “Even stressful for them trigger outbreaks situations,” recalls the director of GGI.

DOES THE PRINCIPLE OF THE END OF STIGMA?

Although fibromyalgia was identified as a disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992 -including within reumatismos in the International Classification of disease-, many people who suffer from it have had to endure unreasonably hard stigma of being simulating, in the eyes of others, an ailment. Although today fibromyalgia has no medical remedy, it is certain that there are many hopes in the field of biotechnology so that it can find a definitive solution. Genetics is developing new therapeutic agents. You can even do preventive medicine in families with a history.

And in familiar environments where there is a case of fibromyalgia eightfold the likelihood that more cases appear, as the statistics show. In Spain it is estimated that 2.4% of the population suffers from fibromyalgia. Even cases occur in children, but few, which already appears hypersensitivity. In fact, many people with the disease of older explain that children were hypersensitive to certain stimuli.