Sound-Induced Flash Illusions Support Cortex Hyperexcitability in Fibromyalgia

Objectives. Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by spontaneous chronic widespread pain in combination with hyperalgesia to pressure stimuli. Sound-induced flash illusions (SIFIs) reflect cross-modal interactions between senses allowing to assess a visual cortical hoerexcitability (VCH) by evaluating the fission and fusion illusions disruption. The aims of the present study were to explore whether SIFIs are perceived differently in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to healthy controls (HCs) and how migraine affects fission and fusion illusions in fibromyalgia. Methods. A single flash (F) accompanied by 0 to 4 beeps (B) was presented to induce the fission illusion while multiple flash (i.…