iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.



Link to original content: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28536358
Modulation of NMDA Receptor Activity in Fibromyalgia - PubMed Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Apr 11;5(2):15.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines5020015.

Modulation of NMDA Receptor Activity in Fibromyalgia

Geoffrey Littlejohn  1 , Emma Guymer  2
Affiliations
Review

Modulation of NMDA Receptor Activity in Fibromyalgia

Geoffrey Littlejohn et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) results in increased sensitivity of spinal cord and brain pathways that process sensory information, particularly those which relate to pain. The NMDAR shows increased activity in fibromyalgia and hence modulation of the NMDAR is a target for therapeutic intervention. A literature review of interventions impacting on the NMDAR shows a number of drugs to be active on the NMDAR mechanism in fibromyalgia patients, with variable clinical effects. Low-dose intravenous ketamine and oral memantine both show clinically useful benefit in fibromyalgia. However, consideration of side-effects, logistics and cost need to be factored into management decisions regarding use of these drugs in this clinical setting. Overall benefits with current NMDAR antagonists appear modest and there is a need for better strategy trials to clarify optimal dose schedules and to delineate potential longer-term adverse events. Further investigation of the role of the NMDAR in fibromyalgia and the effect of other molecules that modulate this receptor appear important to enhance treatment targets in fibromyalgia.

Keywords: NMDA receptor; drugs; fibromyalgia; ketamine; memantine.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Simplified diagram of activated N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) showing sites where key molecules interact.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Lawson K. Potential drug therapies for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Expert Opin. Investig. Drugs. 2016;25:1071–1081. doi: 10.1080/13543784.2016.1197906. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Woolf C.J. Central sensitization: Implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Pain. 2011;152:S2–S15. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2010.09.030. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Yunus M.B. Editorial review: An update on central sensitivity syndromes and the issues of nosology and psychobiology. Curr. Rheumatol. Rev. 2015;11:70–85. doi: 10.2174/157339711102150702112236. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kuner R., Flor H. Structural plasticity and reorganisation in chronic pain. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2016;18:20–30. doi: 10.1038/nrn.2016.162. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dickenson A.H., Sullivan A.F. NMDA receptors and central hyperalgesic states. Pain. 1991;46:344–346. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90118-H. - DOI - PubMed