Targeted insula stimulations as treatment for autoimmune disorders

Introduction

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The prevalence of IBD has been increasing globally and almost doubled from 3.7 million in 1990 to 6.8 million in 2017, with the highest prevalence rates observed in Europe and North America (422 cases per 100,000 population).

Symptoms and Complications

Patients with IBD suffer from chronic relapsing abdominal pain, urgency, and incontinence. Depending on the severity of their presentation, they are at risk of developing acute life-threatening complications, including:

1. Severe bleeding
2. Fulminant colitis
3. Perforation

Although these conditions primarily affect the GI tract, other organ systems may also be affected, such as:

• Eyes
• Skin
• Musculoskeletal system
• Lungs
• Hepatobiliary function
• Hematologic function

Current Treatments

As of today, the etiology of the disease is largely unknown, and the currently available treatments are limited in their efficiency and accompanied by significant side effects. These treatments largely target inflammatory mediators to suppress excess inflammation.

The treatment options can include:

• General immunosuppression, such as high-dose corticosteroids
• More specific biological agents (e.g., anti-TNF)

Patients with IBD are dependent on the lifelong administration of immunosuppressive drugs, exposing them to multiple adverse effects ranging from systemic infections to metabolic dysregulation and even cancer.

Conclusion

Taken together, IBD is a systemic disease that affects many physiological systems and has a strong emotional component. Yet, treatment with immunosuppressive drugs can only alleviate some symptoms and cannot treat the source of the disease nor its broad systemic manifestations.