Somaesthetic disturbances in fibromyalgia are exaggerated by sensory–motor conflict: implications for chronicity of the disease?

Objectives. Conflict between sensory–motor central nervous processing generates somaesthetic disturbances, including pain, in healthy volunteers (HVs). Such conflict has been proposed as a potential cause of pain that occurs in the absence of injury or when the pain response is disproportionate to the injury. Fibromyalgia (FMS) exemplifies the former state. We hypothesized that the artificial generation of such conflict would exacerbate somaesthetic perceptions including pain in FMS greater than in HVs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]