DEFINING CENTRAL CIRCUITS OF VISCERAL PAIN

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Dyspepsia, a condition characterized by upper abdominal discomfort, is a common type complaint in medical practice. There is a lack of fundamental information known about the brain regions associated with visceral sensation and dyspepsia. Neuroimaging such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has allowed investigators to find brain signal changes in various human pain conditions. The purpose of our proposed project is to measure fMRI signal in primary stomach sensory pathways in normal human subjects and dyspeptic patients, those with chronic upper abdominal pain. In order to mimic the sensations associated with dyspepsia, we instilled a liquid meal at a fixed rate into the stomach until maximal satiety is reached. The study consists of 3 sessions, which were performed on different days. The first session is the sipping test, where a meal is consumed orally. The second session takes place in the Mock MRI scan. During this part of the study, liquid meal is infused through a nasal-gastric tube into the stomach at a fixed rate. The study concluded with infusion of liquid meal while subject was in the MRI machine. Symptom ratings and brain imaging will be compared in different states of fullness and discomfort. Further work continues in normal healthy subjects and patients. By understanding the brain pathways involved in stomach sensation and the differences between patients and healthy volunteers, new potential treatment may be developed for this challenging but common problem.