INFLAMIND - Immunological, Neural and Fecal phenotypes in a Longitudinal Analysis of Mental health in INflammatory bowel diseases

• Applicants: Dr. Wolfgang Reindl; Dr. Anne Thomann; Professor Dr. Robert Christian Wolf
• Subject Area: Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ; Gastroenterology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 438105661

This project aims to investigate the role of brain-gut-microbiota interactions in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Brain structure and function, levels of anxiety and depression, peripheral immune status and fecal microbiota of patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis will be analyzed in different disease stages. The analysis of intrinsic neural networks in active and inactive disease will yield information on the influence of disease activity on the integrity of neuronal connectivity and on the mediating effect of anxiety and depression levels on this relationship. Assuming that disease activity represents the most important factor that influences the development of anxiety and/or depression in patients with IBD, but cannot explain all of the variance, associations between gut microbiota, peripheral immune status and anxiety and depression levels will be explored. Taken together, the proposed project primarily aims to increase our knowledge about the reasons for increased anxiety and depression rates in IBD and the mechanisms underlying their development, which is crucial for the improvement of individualized and holistic therapeutic approaches for these patients.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants