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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) With Desipramine

NCT00880594 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 18

Last updated 2026-01-22

Study results available
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Summary

Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience abdominal pain as a result of pain signals in the bowel and how these signals are processed in the brain. Studies using brain imaging (pictures) have shown that IBS patients with more pain diagnoses (i.e. fibromyalgia, migraines, etc.) have greater activity in the regions of the brain responsible for the emotional and thought processing of pain signals. This could possibly make bowel sensations and bowel difficulties feel abnormal or more noticeable, in turn causing more severe IBS symptoms. The purpose of this protocol is to explore the role of pain diagnoses and their affect on brain activity in IBS patients. The investigators will also examine the use of a medication, desipramine, which is known to affect these brain regions, in IBS patients.

Conditions

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Interventions

DRUG

Desipramine

Desipramine 25 mg/day administered in the evening. Dosing may be increased dependent upon side-effects and clinical response to a maximum of 100 mg/day. Absent significant side-effects, all patients are increased at the one week visit to 50 mg/day at bedtime if they have not achieved a report of "Adequate relief". Thereafter, up to week 4, the daily desipramine dose may be increased weekly by 25 mg up to the 100 mg/d maximum.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Washington University School of Medicine

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Gregory S. Sayuk, MD · Washington University School of Medicine

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
90 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2009-02-28
Primary Completion
2014-11-11
Completion
2014-11-11

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00880594 on ClinicalTrials.gov