How different body areas affect the brain-gut connection in people with indigestion
Official title: Body Region Specificity for Neuromodulation of the Gut-Brain Axis in Functional Dyspepsia
Funded at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital · NIH-11128820 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how stimulating specific body points might improve digestion and brain-gut communication for people experiencing chronic indigestion.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlestown, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $135,434 |
| NIH project number | 5K01AT012208-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128820 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this type of research would be individuals experiencing functional dyspepsia, which is a type of chronic indigestion without a clear cause.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose indigestion is caused by a specific disease or structural problem, rather than functional dyspepsia, may not directly benefit from this particular approach.
What this research studies
This research explores how stimulating specific points on the body, like those used in acupuncture, can influence the connection between your brain and your gut. We want to see if different body areas have unique effects on how your stomach moves and how your brain processes these signals. Using advanced MRI scans, we will look at changes in brain activity and stomach function in people with ongoing indigestion. The goal is to learn more about how these non-drug approaches might help manage digestive discomfort.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, non-medication options for managing symptoms of chronic indigestion by understanding how to best use therapies like acupuncture.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown it's possible to use MRI to look at stomach function in people with functional dyspepsia, suggesting this approach builds on existing methods.
Where this research is happening
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Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Charlestown, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sclocco, Roberta — Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
- Study coordinator: Sclocco, Roberta
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Vagus nerve stimulation plus cognitive behavioral therapy to ease functional dyspepsia symptoms
This project combines gentle vagus nerve stimulation with cognitive behavioral therapy to help adults with functional dyspepsia reduce stomach pain, fullness, and related anxiety.
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Exploring the effects of vagal stimulation and therapy on gut-brain interactions in functional dyspepsia
This study is looking at whether using a device that stimulates the vagus nerve along with talking therapy can help people with functional dyspepsia feel better and improve their quality of life.
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Understanding eating problems in adults with functional dyspepsia
This study is looking at the eating challenges faced by adults with functional dyspepsia to understand what makes it hard for them to eat and to test a new program that could help them enjoy a wider variety of foods again.
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Investigating how different acupuncture points affect the gut-brain connection in functional dyspepsia.
This study is looking at how acupuncture might help people with functional dyspepsia by seeing how it affects the brain and stomach, using special imaging techniques to track any changes during treatment.
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Investigating a new treatment for functional dyspepsia
This study is looking at how a new medication called tradipitant can help people with functional dyspepsia, which causes ongoing stomach pain and discomfort, by checking how well it works and how safe it is compared to other treatments.
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Evaluating the effectiveness of Danning Tablets for digestive symptoms
This study is testing if Danning Tablets can help people aged 18 to 75 feel better from digestive issues like indigestion and bloating while they are already using the medication.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.