Transcranial direct current stimulation for chronic, IBD-associated abdominal pain and the relation of pain perception and the intestinal epithelial barrier (C03)

• Subject Area: Gastroenterology ; Immunology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 375876048

We performed a multicenter phase-III-study to significantly reduce chronic abdominal pain in IBD patients by applying tDCS. We found (i) a significant increase in functional connectivity in pain processing brain networks, (ii) decreased calprotectin levels and (iii) characterized myenteric plexitis-infiltrates in bowel wall specimen. Since we aim to uncover the underlying mechanisms with a particular focus on neuro-immune-epithelial crosstalk, we now apply tDCS in mice to study its effects on experimental colitis, immune cell activation, barrier function and RNA expression in myenteric plexi as well as in neuronal and glia cells in vitro.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 241: Immune-Epithelial Communication in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Raja Atreya; Privatdozentin Dr. Magdalena S. Prüß; Privatdozent Dr. Michael Schumann