Bao Chun Hui, Liu Peng, Liu Hui Rong, Wu Lu Yi, Shi Yin, Chen Wei Feng, Qin Wei, Lu Yuan, Zhang Jian Ye, Jin Xiao Ming, Wang Xiao Mei, Zhao Ji Meng, Liu Xiao Ming, Tian Jie, Wu Huan Gan
Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Life Sciences Research Center, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Shaanxi, China.
J Crohns Colitis. 2015 Jul;9(7):532-40. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjv057. Epub 2015 Apr 20.
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.
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.
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.
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.
克罗恩病（CD）是否与脑结构变化相关尚不清楚。本研究检测了CD患者灰质（GM）结构的变化及其与心理困扰的相关性。
对45例CD患者和33名健康对照者进行磁共振成像（MRI）扫描。采用基于体素的形态学测量和皮质厚度分析来确定脑GM体积和皮质厚度。
CD患者的壳核、苍白球、丘脑、海马皮质、杏仁核、楔前叶、顶叶后皮质、导水管周围灰质和小脑的GM体积显著较高，但在许多其他皮质区域较低。CD患者的岛叶、扣带回皮质、海马旁皮质和其他皮质区域的皮质厚度显著降低。在控制心理困扰（焦虑和抑郁）后，参与情绪处理的几个区域之间的差异不显著。右侧前扣带回皮质、背内侧前额叶皮质和左侧岛叶的GM体积以及左侧岛叶和眶额皮质的皮质厚度与病程呈负相关。
我们认为，CD患者多个脑区GM结构的显著变化可以部分由这些患者较高水平的焦虑和抑郁来解释。CD患者GM结构改变的特定特征与病程相关。
