Magnetic resonance imaging analysis of brain function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disease of the gastrointestinal tract. The current study aimed to examine the association between visceral hypersensitivity in IBS and cortical activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and to elucidate the role of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of IBS.

The present study included 31 patients with IBS and 20 healthy controls. Cerebral function was assessed using fMRI. During imaging, a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube was placed within the rectum approximately 10 cm from the anus, following which gas was rapidly injected into the airbag using a 150-ml syringe. Images were obtained at 40 ml, 80 ml, and 120 ml of expansion. Psychological status was evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Anxiety and depression scores were higher among patients with IBSthan among controls (both P < 0.05), although scores in both groups were below the level of clinical diagnosis. Brain activation in regions of interest (parietal areas, prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, anterior cingulate cortex, insular cortex, and thalamus) increased along with increases in rectal balloon dilation, except in women with IBS and patients with disease duration less than 5 years. Furthermore, region of interest (ROI) activation (such as the parietal region, prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, anterior cingulate cortex, insular cortex, and thalamus) differed significantly between the 40-ml and 120-ml conditions, and between the 80-ml and 120-ml conditions (P < 0.05), among patients with IBS with anxiety or depression scores less than 9 points.

Overall, our findings indicate that changes in brain activation due to changes in rectal balloon distension can be objectively and accurately measured using fMRI. Although our results indicated that visceral hypersensitivity during IBS is associated with changes in cortical activation, further studies utilizing larger sample sizes are required to more fully elucidate the association between psychological factors and visceral hypersensitivity in IBS.