Brain responses to visceral stimuli reflect visceral sensitivity thresholds in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Only a fraction of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have increased perceptual sensitivity to rectal distension, indicating differences in processing and/or modulation of visceral afferent signals. We investigated the brain mechanisms of these perceptual differences.

Methods

We analyzed data from 44 women with IBS and 20 female healthy subjects (controls). IBS symptom severity was determined by a severity scoring system. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression score. Blood oxygen level-dependent signals were measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging during expectation and delivery of high (45 mmHg) and low (15 mmHg) intensity rectal distensions. Perception thresholds to rectal distension wer

SUBMITTER: Larsson MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3288538 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature