One of the more frightening aspects of fibromyalgia, at least to me, is the recent studies showing that we tend to lose gray matter in our brains more rapidly than other people -- basically, our brains are aging too fast.
A new study suggests a partial cause, and it's something we've heard about before: low dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and has different roles in different areas of the brain. In some places, it deals with cognitive function. In others, it controls movement. In this study, they found low levels in areas where dopamine helps regulate neurological (brain, spinal cord, nerve) activity. Hmm . . . it makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
A lot of us with fibromyalgia (and chronic fatigue syndrome as well) don't have enough dopamine. It's too early to say whether boosting dopamine levels would stop or reverse gray-matter loss, but it seems like a logical place to start.
I take several dopamine-regulating supplements and have seen a big improvement in my dopamine-related symptoms. You can see whether you have symptoms consistent with dopamine dysregulation, and what you may be able to do about it, here:
What we do know about gray-matter loss, from studies on the aging brain, is that we can slow or even stop it with cognitive training. Even simple online games have helped me a lot, and I've talked to other people who've had good luck with them as well.
Have you used cognitive training? What has helped you? Leave a comment below so we can learn from each other!
Suggested Reading:
- Neurotransmitter Dysregulation
- Low Serotonin: Symptoms & Treatments
- Low Norepinephrine: Symptoms & Treatments
Photo © Yasuhide Fumoto/Getty Images
I’m Not computer savy so I may need some help..
1. I don’t know how to or what a URL is. I may have one and not know it. I am on Face book with a chat room. I managed that. but unsure of url.
2. I would like to put some of this information on my Face book because most of what I have there is on Fibromyalgia.
3. How can I put some of your information there you don’t have a share icon on your pages.and I only know how to use share to get info on my Facebook.
Thank you for your help.
Please reply
Please add email and print to your articles. I like to send some of them to my son to review as he is a scientist. I have to copy, reformat, to send him an email with your article. I don’t have a website, blog or Facebook entry.
MHagen,
Email & print functions are available — look at the upper right-hand area, just below the banner ad.
Concetta,
I’m not that familiar with Facebook, so I asked around and here’s what I found out for you:
-Copy the URL (web address) of the article you want.
-In Facebook, click on the “what’s on your mind?” field.
-A link named “link” will appear below the box. Click that to share the link with your Facebook friends.
Hope this helps!
I struggle almost daily with trying to remember things. I can see where it makes sense that FM may make grey matter changes. My daughter does try to make light of it. She says if she forgets to tell me something, she can tell me later and when I say I don’t remember her saying that before, she says she has and I simply don’t remember it!!! It is very wise to try to keep a sense of humor about it all.
I also suffer from distorted vision at times. It has made it almost impoosible for me to drive, which at the age of 55 is depressing. I HATE having to depend on others. And it makes me dizzy when I walk sometimes and I fall or almost fall. Anyone else have this problem? I have read it is a common symptom of FM.
I also suffer from memory problems like names for instance of people I know quite well, however it only last for a short time and then I remember. I can relate to the Daughter story; My Daughter says the same thing to me at times and I am just blank. I take Lyrica 3 times a day and I have been having alot of headaches also plus the aches and pain have been worse.
My memory is terrible. What I was told years ago when I was first diagnosed w/my fibro was that my pain had gone w/o any relief for so long & was so intense that it had destroyed some of my “gray matter” & I would never be able to have the same kind of memory I once had. I can’t take lyrica b/c it puts me to sleep. I love to read but I can’t any more b/c I can’t remember enough of the book for it to make sense to me, especially if I have to lay it down for some reason. I have even been tested to see if I had alzheimers & started to take a med for that to see if it helped but it didn’t.
I don’t know how low my dopamine is, but my mother has a very rare disease of the brain (demyelinating) that has left her totally demented. Sometimes I feel like I’m starting to get the same thing. (She was 87 when it hit hard; I am now 63.) They thought for a while that she might have Parkinson’s, as it affected her walking – another sign of low dopamine. Does anyone know if Klonopin is a dopamine replacement? – because I sure feel a lot better since I’ve been taking it!
Some of what u guys are saying really worries me! I’ve had FM for years but always thought it was stress and a prior back injury. It wasn’t until I became so exhausted I couldn’t go up 1 flight of stairs w/o stopping 4 times that I made a dr appt. The only thing we are treating me for right now is low ATP because it is so severe… more symptoms keep popping up.
I couldn’t even remember why I started writing this comment! I find I can talk about me easier than talking about (the weather), maybe b/c I’m constantly going over my symptoms, etc. But otherwise, I can’t find words and always feel like I’m playing charades or something. Sometimes I simply use other words. I seem to think strawberries are called tomatos now!?! I’m getting scared to drive b/c I seem to operate on autopilot: check for cars in the lane I want to move to, then change. But I don’t seem to care if there’s a car IN that lane.
MaryAnn….I also have distorted vision and difficulty focusing…have had my prescription on my glasses changed several times thinking it was the problem but I still have the same difficulty with my vision. I also get dizzy all the time and feel off balance when I walk. Not sure if this is all related to fibromyalgia or other things? But I sure hear a lot of fibro people say the same things so maybe its all part of the disorder.
You mentioned suppliments you are taking. What are they?
I’m sort of a cognitive/brainy type person anyway, but now for a hobby I’m working on a recipe database. This sort of fits with my librarian (including cataloging) background, where I can develop keyword systems and how to best sort recipes. Also, figuring things out like how to scan in my recipes and get them into a format that the program will accept can be challenging. But on a day to day basis it’s a little more like data entry. The thing is that this is something that helps me feel good about myself and I can see progress and some usefulness to it (oh, that’s where that recipe went to!). It’s adaptable to how I’m feeling at any given time, exercises my brain a bit, and also gives me some self satisfaction.
One problem with this, though, is that I have to still make sure to get some exercise in and not be at the computer all the time. But when I’m feeling too crummy to sit at the computer, I watch mindless TV in the recliner chair with my heated throw.
Edwards29,
Klonopin is a central nervous system depressant — basically, it calms things down, which can help when you have a hyper-responsive nervous system like we do. Glad to hear it helps!
Necy Ann,
The supplements I take are rhodiola rosea and theanine. Because they work on several neurotransmitters, I find that they’re much more effective than 5-HTP, which only increases serotonin.
I should mention that dopamine rises much more slowly than serotonin, so it can take awhile for you to feel the effects.
What I fid curious and wish someone would investigate is that with FM we have amplified pain and diminished grey matter. In autistics, the reverse is the case. They have more than the usual amount of grey matter and are virtually insensitive to pain apparently.
Marline,
Thanks for that information — it is fascinating. You’ll probably be interested in Dr. Amy Yasko’s work. She’s an autism researcher who has now branched out to fibromyalgia and similar conditions.
~Adrienne
My husband bought me a IPAD for mothers day, my mind has filed it under LAP PAD for some reason and so when ever I need to refer to it my first recall comes to me as lap, then no, stop that’s not right I PAD . Maybe I associate seeing people with a laptop and that’s why it comes out that way. Or backwards lap and pal instead of pad. But it is embarrassing anditbugs me. Andyes sometimes my speech on a word is delayed a bit finding just the right word and or is like charades, but I never liked cherades, but don’t stress about it or u could be making a mountain out of a mole hill and alienate people around u. I have to take a lot medicine to get thru the holiday with my big family and so I am miserable with pain but trying to keep up with the conversation, then everyones looking at me. And I forget the characters real name or what we were talking about and there’s an uncomfortable moment and I wonder if I should excuse myself to the restroom, or just spend the night being a good listener instead. It’s easier on the phone if I can’t find the right word right away. I find I can’t learn new games and I took have low comprehension when reading so I wish the books would have short summaries or have all the right answers somewhere cause I know I won’t remember anyway. Don’t know what job I could get anymore. Any ideas?
I have not had any brain scans but I noticed a start to maintaining or having higher brain function after starting back into school. My memory and ability to associate items is becoming more structured just from thinking about new topics provoked by school activity.
I am 38 years old and have had FM for most of my life as well as spinal injuries leading to surgery. I have all the symptoms you have been talking about, but two years ago i was diagnosed with Polymyalgia aswell- a condition not normally found in people until they’re in there 60’s or 70’s. My Doctor is stunned by this due to my age. Don’t know if this could be linked, but it would make sense as I seem older physically and mentally than my mother who is in her mid 70’s.