Microstructural changes in the brain in elderly patients with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: It is unclear how alterations in gray matter volume and white matter density affect elderly patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between structural changes in the brain and psychological stress in elderly IBS patients. METHODS: Eighteen IBS patients and 12 healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Voxel‐based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging analysis were used to identify abnormalities in cortical regions and white matter, respectively. RESULTS: The IBS group showed a significant GMV reduction in the cingulate gyrus, occipital lobe, hippocampus, frontal lobe, medial frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, and limbic lobe as well as a higher GMV in the insula, superior temporal gyrus, angular gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus. Diffusion tensor imaging indicated that the IBS group had lower fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, upper corona, fornix, internal capsule, and brainstem. Additionally, IBS patients showed higher mean diffusivity in the cingulate gyrus, corpus callosum, upper corona, internal capsule, external capsule, fornix, and superior longitudinal fasciculus. CONCLUSION: Structural changes in the brain play a role in the condition of elderly IBS patients. Psychological stress is an important factor for developing IBS via the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis.