Chapters authored
The Role of Oxidants/Antioxidants, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Autophagy in Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome that presents primarily in women and is characterized by generalized pain, muscle rigidity, poor quality of sleep, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, episodes of depression, overall sensitivity, and deterioration in the performance of day-to-day activities. In the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia neuroendocrine factors, anomalies of the autonomous nervous system, genetic characteristics, and environmental and psychosocial factors are implicated. Alterations to the cells of the central nervous system that are present in fibromyalgia are due to the toxic effects of free radicals by the high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the membranes that are easily oxidized and the low level of protective antioxidant enzymes. In FM, defects are produced in any part of the cycle in the generation of adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) by the mitochondria, which can alter energy production by the mitochondria and cause the characteristic symptoms of FM. The degradation of the mitochondria dependent on autophagy or mitophagy is an important process for maintaining the critical integrity of the mitochondria and limiting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, the deregulation of autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction could represent key aspects in the pathophysiology of FM. Management with antioxidants, vitamins, coenzyme Q10, and melatonin, in addition to the antidepressants and structural analogs of the gamma-aminobutyric acid, could modify the florid symptomatology that patients with FM have.
Part of the book: Discussions of Unusual Topics in Fibromyalgia