Mind-Body Medicine and Ulcerative Colitis

Summary

Stress has been linked to chronic health problems, particularly diseases involving inflammation-mediated tissue injury and organ failure. Accordingly, it is not surprising that mind/body interventions are advocated for treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. One such candidate disease is ulcerative colitis (UC) because: (1) UC is a life-long, relapsing, disabling inflammatory disorder of the intestine that lacks a non-toxic, efficacious treatment; (2) the therapeutic goal is to improve quality of life by ameliorating disabling symptoms and preventing disease progression by preventing disease flare-up, (3) stress triggers UC flare-up by modifying intestinal function and inflammatory processes, highlighting the potential therapeutic benefit of reducing physiological stress responses. The purpose of this study is to see if either of two 8-week mind/body medicine courses has an effect in reducing stress and affecting the course and severity of UC. Both have been shown to benefit other aspects of health and well-being.

Conditions

• Ulcerative Colitis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mind/Body Medicine Course 1

The subject of the course is Mind/Body medicine. This course is learning about the mind and the body through experiences. The course will meet once every week, for a total of 8 weeks, for roughly 2 hours per class. You will be provided with a schedule of the weekly classes, which will occur on the same day every week, at the same time. Weekly sessions will be run by a teacher and will include other participants in the class. You will also be given homework assignments that are intended to reinforce what you learn in the program. The assignments will require up to 45 minutes, 6 days/week. Following the 6th class, and before the 7th class, there is a voluntary all day Saturday program. Participation in this program is optional. You are expected to continue to incorporate what you learned in the class in your daily routine after you are done with the classes.

BEHAVIORAL

Mind/Body Medicine Course 2

The subject of the course is Mind/Body medicine. This course is learning about the mind and the body through lectures. The course will meet once every week, for a total of 8 weeks, for roughly 2 hours per class. You will be provided with a schedule of the weekly classes, which will occur on the same day every week, at the same time. Weekly sessions will be run by a teacher and will include other participants in the class. You will also be given homework assignments that are intended to reinforce what you learn in the program. The assignments will require up to 45 minutes, 6 days/week. Following the 6th class, and before the 7th class, there is a voluntary all day Saturday program. Participation in this program is optional. You are expected to continue to incorporate what you learned in the class in your daily routine after you are done with the classes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rush University Medical Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ali Keshavarzian, MD · Rush University Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-08-31

Primary Completion

2017-07-31

Completion

2017-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations