title: Alterations in brain grey matter structures in patients with crohn's disease and their correlation with psychological distress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether Crohn's disease [CD] is correlated with brain structural changes is unclear. This study examined changes in grey matter [GM] structures in CD patients and their correlation with psychological distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 45 CD patients and 33 healthy controls were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]. Voxel-based morphometry and a cortical thickness analysis were used to determine brain GM volume and cortical thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GM volumes in the CD patients were significantly higher in the putamen, pallidum, thalamus, hippocampal cortex, amygdala, precuneus, posterior parietal cortex, periaqueductal grey, and cerebellum, but were lower in many other cortical regions. The cortical thicknesses of the insula, cingulate cortex, parahippocampal cortex, and other cortical regions were significantly reduced in CD patients. After controlling for psychological distress [anxiety and depression], the differences among several regions involved in emotional processing were not significant. The GM volumes of the right anterior cingulate cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and left insula and the cortical thickness of the left insula and orbitofrontal cortex were negatively correlated with disease duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that the significant changes in GM structures in multiple brain regions of CD patients can be partially explained by the higher levels of anxiety and depression in these patients. Specific profiles of altered GM structures in CD patients were correlated with disease duration.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chun Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Research Center, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department, Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hui Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Qigong Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lu Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department, Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Endoscopy Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wei Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Research Center, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jian Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department, Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ji Meng
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Research Center, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Research Center, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Shaanxi, China wuhuangan@126.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China wuhuangan@126.com.
authors.forename: Huan Gan
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009929:Organ Size; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Neuroimaging; brain; cortical thickness; intestine; voxel-based morphometry