Researchers at Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center are building evidence that behavioral health interventions can play a critical role in managing GI disorders by targeting the gut-brain axis, hypervigilance, and symptom-specific anxiety.
Studies from the group found that patients with conditions such as achalasia, GERD, IBS, Crohn’s disease, and colitis who experience higher levels of anxiety and symptom hypervigilance often report worse outcomes and lower quality of life, even after successful medical or surgical treatment. Researchers are now evaluating cognitive behavioral therapy and other gut-brain interventions to determine whether addressing these psychological factors can improve symptoms, reduce healthcare utilization, and enhance long-term outcomes.