Understanding pain in IBD and IBS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring biopsychosocial mechanisms of abdominal pain in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IRAS ID
253660
Contact name
Rona Moss-Morris
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 17 days
Research summary
Abdominal pain is a central symptom of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). These two conditions have distinct causes. IBD is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. IBS does not have clear biomarkers and is diagnosed based on symptom reports. However psychosocial factors seem to play a role in both; they are thought to contribute to the development and maintenance of IBS, as well as to ongoing pain during inactive IBD.
Pain isn’t actually experienced at the location where the tissue damage or inflammation occurs. Information on whatever is happening locally is transferred to the brain where it is perceived and interpreted. Besides receiving information, the brain also signals back to lower areas involved in pain perception providing them with feedback that usually serves to tone the pain down.
In conditions of chronic pain, the capacity of the brain to tone down pain seems to be impaired. Moreover, it is believed that brain areas involved in processing emotions and cognitions influence feedback signalling and therewith influence pain perception.
Current therapies targeting abdominal pain have their drawbacks. A more holistic understanding of abdominal pain may be needed to develop non-invasive effective therapies and minimise side-effects. Our general aims are to (1) assess the capacity to tone down pain of patients with IBS and patients with inactive IBD and (2) evaluate the relevance of clinical, psychological and socio-demographic factors to this capacity. We will measure the capacity for toning down pain by calculating the difference in pain intensity of a painful test stimulus before and during the application of a second painful conditioning stimulus. We will additionally test how sensitive patients with IBS or inactive IBD are to a range of stimuli and see if pain might be exacerbated at lower levels of pain processing.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0191
Date of REC Opinion
7 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion