BARCELONA — A study conducted by the University of Barcelona suggested that neuroimmune alterations in the central nervous system contribute to the development and progression of fibromyalgia. The authors, researchers Marçal Castán and Adela Fusté, published their findings online in 2026 in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

The study, titled 'Evidence of central neuroimmune alterations in fibromyalgia: a systematic review of case-control studies,' was based on a comprehensive review of recent research. Castán is from the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology of the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Psychology and the Service of Psychological Care, while Fusté is also from the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology and is a member of the Institute of Neurosciences at the University of Barcelona.

The research combined neuroimaging and gene expression studies, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and cellular studies. It identified a consistent pattern of neuroimmune alterations, defined as changes in the communication and regulation between the nervous and immune systems. The study pointed to a possible activation of the brain's immune cells, specifically microglia, as a mechanism in fibromyalgia. It also reported changes in the levels of cytokines and other immune molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with fibromyalgia, along with alterations in the expression of genes related to inflammatory processes.

"Taken together, these findings suggest a pattern of neuroimmune dysregulation that goes beyond classic inflammation and involves both mechanisms that promote inflammation and alterations in the mechanisms that regulate it," Castán and Fusté stated.

"These findings converge on brain networks involved in pain processing, emotional regulation, cognition and behavior. Together, they contribute to advancing a more integrated and accurate understanding of the disorder, consistent with a biopsychosocial perspective on health, which views the condition as the result of the interaction between biological, psychological and social factors," the researchers added. They stated that factors such as sleep, stress, physical activity, lifestyle habits, and psychological well-being should be viewed as central aspects of fibromyalgia management rather than complementary elements. The study's findings could steer research towards the development of more objective biomarkers for fibromyalgia diagnosis. The authors emphasized that further studies, particularly longitudinal and translational ones, are needed to confirm the role of neuroimmune processes in fibromyalgia. The DOI for the article is 10.1016/j.bbi.2026.106773.