Modulation Of Catastrophic Thinking, Pain And Inflammation In Fibromyalgia: From Behavior To Molecular Biology

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disease characterized by chronic pain (CP), stress, and cognitive alterations. Catastrophic thinking (CT) is mediated by cortisol, IL-6, and the serotonin receptor 5HT1A (5HT1A). The study's objective was to identify whether the modification of CT affects these biological variables, comparing a cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) and a psychophysiological intervention (PPI) in women with FM. The duration of both interventions was 11 weeks. It was a non-probabilistic, comparative, experimental, and clinical study. Forty-eight women of the Rheumatology Service of the General Hospital of Mexico participated. Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQDI), Catastrophizing Scale for Fibromyalgia (PCS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were administered. The relative expression of IL-6 and serotonin receptor (5HT1A) genes were quantified by real-time PCR; likewise, IL-6 and cortisol levels were measured in serum. The ICC showed significant changes in perception of stress (p = 0.05), in PC in the rumination scales (p = 0.05), magnification (p = 0.01), hopelessness (p = 0.01), cortisol (p = 0.01) and IL-6 (p = 0.01). Pain scores (p = 0.01) improved in both groups. The IPF showed an increase in the relative expression of the gene that codes for the serotonin receptor 5HT1A (p = 0.05). IL-6 was found to be a predictor of rumination thinking in the ICC group. The results allow us to conclude that ICC had a greater impact on CP, stress, IL-6 and cortisol, compared to the PPI.