Thalamocortical bistable switch as a theoretical model of fibromyalgia pathogenesis inferred from a literature survey.

ABSTRACT: Fibromyalgia (FM) is an unsolved central pain processing disturbance. We aim to provide a unifying model for FM pathogenesis based on a loop network involving thalamocortical regions, i.e., the ventroposterior lateral thalamus (VPL), the somatosensory cortex (SC), and the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). The dynamics of the loop have been described by three differential equations having neuron mean firing rates as variables and containing Hill functions to model mutual interactions among the loop elements. A computational analysis conducted with MATLAB has shown a transition from monostability to bistability of the loop behavior for a weakening of GABAergic transmission between TRN and VPL. This involves the appearance of a high-firing-rate steady state, which becomes dominant and is assu

SUBMITTER: Demori I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9666334 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature