Brain-Gut Interactions in Crohn's Disease

Brain‐gut interactions have been studied in chronic pain conditions of the gastrointestinal
(GI) tract such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic pancreatitis. These studies
suggest that alterations in the brain‐gut axis may relate to disease severity and pain
perception. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized
by periods of disease activity and periods of disease quiescence. Crohn's disease (CD) is one
of the two major subtypes of IBD. Patients with CD typically experience abdominal pain when
the disease is active; however, many also report experiencing pain in the absence of
objective evidence of inflammation. Alterations in brain‐gut interactions may explain the
perception of pain in these patients. Currently, there is a paucity of data regarding brain
changes in patients with IBD and CD, specifically. We are proposing a pilot study to
characterize brain‐gut interactions of disease activity and pain modulation mechanisms in
patients with IBD using advanced neuroimaging tools.

Inclusion Criteria:

- 18 years of age or older

- A diagnosis of Crohn's disease by endoscopy or radiographic imaging

- Must have Crohn's disease in symptomatic remission as defined by a Harvey-Bradshaw
score of 3

- No contraindications to MRI per UWHC screening form

- Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

- Women that are pregnant

- Contraindications to MRI per UWHC screening form

- Other chronic pain disorders (e.g. fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel
disorder) unrelated to their diagnosis of IBD.

- Scheduled medications for the treatment of pain (e.g. acetaminophen, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotics) will be excluded.