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Abstract #3524

Functional Imaging of Fibromyalgia Using Empathy for Pain

Hui-jin Song1, Joo-hyun Kim1, Jeehye Seo1, Moon-jung Hwang2, Young-ju Lee2, Kyung Jin Suh3, Sung Woo Kim3, Young Hwan Lee4, Dong Soo Yoo5, Yongmin Chang1,6

1Medical & Biological Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea, Republic of; 2GE healthcare, Seoul; 3Dongguk University, Gyungju; 4Radiology, College of Medicine, Catholic University, Daegu; 5Radiology, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Chunan; 6Diagnostic Radiology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea, Republic of


Fibromyalgia(FM) is disorder of unknown etiology1, characterized by chronic widespread pain and are often accompanied by symptoms of sleep disturbance, anxiety, memory problems, fatigue, and exhaustion. Previous functional imaging studies of FM mainly focused on pain by applying pressure to specific FM tender point. However, there is no emotional and cognitive functional imaging study with FM. Therefore, the aim of this study investigates difference of pain perception between fibromyalgia patient and healthy controls using empathy for pain task. Based on our finding that the FM group did not show activation in the several pain empathy related areas during the empathy for pain task, the current study suggest that DLPFC and ACC hypoactivity in FM group is associated with a deficit in cognitive function in empathizing and evaluating others pain.