LEADING ARTICLE

Brain imaging and its implications for studying centrally targeted treatments in irritable bowel syndrome: a primer for gastroenterologists

D A Drossman

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr D A Drossman
UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Room 1110 Bioinformatics Building CB#7080, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7080, North Carolina, USA; Douglas_drossman{at}med.unc.edu

Research into brain-gut interactions, and the use of brain imaging, as potential investigative tools for functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, is a promising new area. Studies are beginning to identify the structure and function of regions of the brain and their relationships to pain perception, stress, and other psychosocial variables. These imaging modalities may also have diagnostic potential, and perhaps even therapeutic applications, particularly with regard to understanding the benefit of centrally targeted modalities such as antidepressants and psychological treatments.

Abbreviations: FGIDs, functional gastrointestinal disorders; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; PI-IBS, post infectious IBS; PET, positron emission tomography; fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; CNS, central nervous system; ACC, anterior cingulate cortex; pACC, anterior perigenual ACC; MCC, mid cingulate cortex; aMCC, anterior midcingulate cortex of the ACC; ACC-CD, cognitive division of the ACC

Keywords: brain imaging; positron emission tomography; amitriptyline; rectal pain; anterior cingulate cortex; irritable bowel syndrome; functional magnetic resonance imaging

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