Dr. Younger is preparing to launch an innovative PET study that should prove whether activated microglia are recruiting peripheral leukocytes into the brains of fibromyalgia patients. He intends to isolate T and B cells from blood, tag them with a PET radioligand, and reinject them into the subject.
“Since those cells are tagged, a few days later, we can scan the person and see if those cells made it into the brain,” Dr. Younger explained. “If we find T cells and B cells in the brain, that’s clear evidence that the peripheral immune system is attacking and infiltrating the brain, which would be very good in telling us what’s going on in fibromyalgia.”
Low-dose naltrexone is not approved for treating fibromyalgia, he noted. However, during the discussion period after Dr. Younger’s presentation, a number of physicians said they have been using the drug in fibromyalgia patients; some said it has been useful for patients with multiple sclerosis, as well.
Dr. Younger had no relevant financial disclosures.