Contact Information

Center of Neurovisceral Sciences and Women’s Health
Neuroimaging Imaging Core
Peter V. Ueberroth Building, Rm 2338C2
10945 LeConte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095
On-campus mail: 694907
Tel: (310) 206-0738
Fax:(310) 825-1919
E-mail: jlabus_at_ucla_dot_edu*

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Biosketch

Dr. Labus’s research focuses on mapping the neural networks underlying stress neurobiology with specific emphasis on models of visceral and functional pain and brain-body interactions. Specifically, she is examining altered central and autonomic nervous system processes in functional pain disorders, stress neurobiology, and the statistical methodology applied to interpret the complex data yielded by psychophysiological assessments such as fMRI, PET, acoustic startle response, and heart-rate variability. Dr. Labus recently received a K08 award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to delineate the neural networks involved in visceral pain and GI function using network analysis. Her research has shown activation of inhibitory cortico-limbic circuitry is associated with more effective descending pain inhibition. In collaboration with the Center for Neurobiology of Stress (formerly named the Center of Neurovisceral Sciences and Women’s Health), her research investigates sex-specific differences in the effective connectivity of emotional-arousal circuitry. Her work also involves imaging genetics and she is currently examining group differences in the neural networks associated with variants of the function polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) and the effects of acute lowering of 5-HT levels on engagement of a central arousal network involved in central pain amplification.

Selected References

Labus JS, Mayer EA, Chang L. Bolus R, Naliboff BD. The central role of gastrointestinal-specific anxiety in irritable bowel syndrome: Further validation of the Visceral Sensitivity Index. Psychosom Med 2007;69:89-98.

Labus JS. In search of mechanisms of change in treatment outcome research: Mediators and moderators of psychological and pharmacological treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology 2007;133:702-5.

Berman SM, Naliboff BD, Suyenobu B, Labus JS, Stains J, Ohning G, Kilpatrick L, Bueller JA, Ruby K, Jarcho J, Mayer EA. Reduced brainstem inhibition during anticipated pelvic visceral pain correlates with enhanced brain response to the visceral stimulus in women with irritable bowel syndrome. J Neurosci. 2008 Jan 9;28(2):349-59.

Mayer EA, Labus JS, Berkley KJ, 2008. Sex Differences in Pain. In: Becker JB, Berkley KJ, Geary N, Hampson E, Herman JP, Young EA (Eds.), Sex Differences in the Brain from Genes to Behavior. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 371-396.

Labus JS, Naliboff BN, Fallon J, Berman SM, Suyenobu B, Bueller JA, Mandelkern M, Mayer EA. Sex differences in brain activity during aversive visceral stimulation and its expectation in patients with chronic abdominal pain: A network analysis. Neuroimage. Jul 1;41(3):1032-43. Epub 2008 Mar 20

Selected Abstracts

Labus JS, Mayer E, Medicine, Hamaguchi T, Mizuno T, Kano M, Fukudo S. 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism modulates activity and connectivity within an emotional arousal network of healthy control subjects during visceral pain. Annual meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association in San Diego, CA: May, 2008.

Labus JS, Mayer EA, Kilkens T, Evers EA, Brummer RJ, Backes, WH, van Nieuwenhoven MA. The effect of acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) on the activity and connectivity of an emotional arousal network during visceral pain. Annual meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association in San Diego, CA: May, 2008.

Labus JS, Nieuwenhoven MA, Fukudo, S, Mayer, EA. Brain responses to visceral pain--influence of central serotonin signaling. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Organization of Human Brain Mapping in Melbourne, Australia: June 2008.

Labus JS, Kilpatrick L, Naliboff BD, Suyenobu B Berman SM, Mayer EA. Partial least squares analysis of brain responses to experimentally induced rectal discomfort: Greater engagement of an insula-related network in female Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Organization of Human Brain Mapping in Melbourne, Australia: June 2008.

Labus JS and Mayer EA. Functional network activation during pelvic visceral distension: A meta-analysis. To be presented at the annual meeting of the International Association of for the Study of Pain, Glasgow, Scotland, August, 2008.