Functional Brain Imaging Study on somatization mechanism in peoplewith alexithymia

2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19790456
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General internal medicine (including Psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: KANO Michiko Tohoku University, 大学院・医学系研究科, 助教 (20344658)
• Project Period (FY): 2007 – 2009
• Keywords: 心療内科学 / ストレス科学

Research Abstract

Empirical studies indicate that alexithymia exacerbates physical illness. However, direct evidence to explain the mechanism of this exacerbation has not been provided. The present study demonstrates that alexithymia is associated with hypersensitivity to visceral stimulation. This finding supports the somatosensory amplification hypothesized in alexithymics and is important to elucidate the influence of alexithymia on psychosomatic diseases.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Impact of serotonin transporter gene polymorphism on brain activation by colorectal distention. (2009)
  • Author(s): Fukudo S, Kanazawa M, Mizuno T, Hamaguchi T, Kano M, Watanabe S, Sagami Y, Shoji T, Endo Y, Hongo M, Itoyama Y, Yanai K, Tashiro M, Aoki M.
  • Journal Title: Neuroimage 47 Pages: 946-51
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Increased brain histamine H1 receptor binding in patients with anorexia nervosa. (2009)
  • Author(s): Yoshizawa M, Tashiro M, Fukudo S, Yanai K, Utsumi A, Kano M, Karahasi M, Endo Y, Morisita J, Sato Y, Adachi M, Itoh M, Hongo M.
  • Journal Title: Biol Psychiatry 65 Pages: 329-35
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Correlation between alexithymia and hypersensitivity to visceral stimulation in human. (2007)
  • Author(s): Kano M, Hamaguchi T, Itoh M, Yanai K, Fukudo S.
  • Journal Title: Pain 132 Pages: 252-63
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Role of histaminergic neurons in hypnotic modulation of brain processing of visceral perception (2007)
  • Author(s): Watanabe S, Hattori T, Kanazawa M, Kano M, Fukudo S.
  • Journal Title: Neurogastroenterol Motil 19 Pages: 831-8
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] 入試を契機に過食に転じ改善した神経性食思不振症の1例. (2007)
  • Author(s): 鹿野理子、佐々木雅之
  • Journal Title: 心療内科 11 Pages: 462-465
• [Journal Article] 食行動異常、体重減少、貧血、心嚢液貯留を認め、神経性食思不振症を疑われたCNSループスの1例 (2007)
  • Author(s): 鹿野理子、佐々木雅之
  • Journal Title: 心療内科 11 Pages: 29-133
• [Presentation] Individual variability on resting brain function measured by ASL perfusion. (2010)
  • Author(s): Kano M, Coen SJ, Farmer AD, Aziz Q, Fukudo S, O'Gorman RL
  • Organizer: The 68th Annual Meeting of American Psychosomatic Society
  • Place of Presentation: Portland, USA
  • Year and Date: 20100310-20100314
• [Presentation] Individual Deference of Brain-Body Interactions for homoeostatic control. (2010)
  • Author(s): Kano M, Coen SJ, Farmer A, Fukudo S, Aziz Q.
  • Organizer: Tohoku University-Taiwan Neuroscience Workshop for Young Scientists 2010
  • Place of Presentation: Taipei, Taiwan
  • Year and Date: 20100121-20100124
• [Presentation] うつ病の脳機能イメージングシンポジウム「うつ病の未病」 (2009)
  • Author(s): 鹿野理子、福土審、谷内一彦
  • Organizer: 第16回日本未病システム学会学術総会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪
  • Year and Date: 20091031-20091101
• [Presentation] アレキシサイミアにおける内臓感覚の増幅-h215opet研究 (2008)
  • Author(s): 鹿野理子、濱口豊太、伊藤正敏、福土審
  • Organizer: 第49回心身医学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 札幌
  • Year and Date: 20080612-20080613
• [Presentation] The Neural Substrate Of Decision-Making In Alexithymic Individuals. (2008)
  • Author(s): Kano M, Itho M, Fukudo S
  • Organizer: American Psychosomatic Medicine annual meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Baltimore, MD USA
  • Year and Date: 20080312-20080315