Chonnam Med J.  2015 Aug;51(2):58-65. 10.4068/cmj.2015.51.2.58.

Exploring Genetic Susceptibility to Fibromyalgia

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. shinseok@chonnam.ac.kr

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) affects 1% to 5% of the population, and approximately 90% of the affected individuals are women. FM patients experience impaired quality of life and the disorder places a considerable economic burden on the medical care system. With the recognition of FM as a major health problem, many recent studies have evaluated the pathophysiology of FM. Although the etiology of FM remains unknown, it is thought to involve some combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposure that triggers further alterations in gene expression. Because FM shows marked familial aggregation, most previous research has focused on genetic predisposition to FM and has revealed associations between genetic factors and the development of FM, including specific gene polymorphisms involved in the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and catecholaminergic pathways. The aim of this review was to discuss the current evidence regarding genetic factors that may play a role in the development and symptom severity of FM.

Keyword

Fibromyalgia; Genes; Polymorphism, Genetic

MeSH Terms

Environmental Exposure
Female
Fibromyalgia*
Gene Expression
Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
Humans
Polymorphism, Genetic
Quality of Life

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