Labrenz F, Elsenbruch S, Icenhour A (2026). The impact of contingency awareness on the neurocircuitry underlying pain-related fear and safety learning. Biol Psychol, 209, 109311. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109311
Prof. Dr. Adriane Icenhour
Abteilungsleitung Affektive Neurowissenschaften
Profil
Prof. Dr. Adriane Icenhour ist W2-Professorin für Affektive Neurowissenschaften. Sie verbindet experimentelle Grundlagenforschung mit einer klinisch orientierten Perspektive, um unser Verständnis der Kommunikationswege zwischen Körper und Psyche zu erweitern.
In ihrer Forschung untersucht Prof. Icenhour die Rolle des Gehirns bei psychischen Belastungen und körperlichen Beschwerden, insbesondere bei Schmerz und stress-assoziierten Erkrankungen. Ein zentraler Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Darm-Hirn Achse, die die enge Wechselwirkung zwischen körperlichen und psychischen Prozessen besonders eindrucksvoll aufzeigt. Mithilfe moderner Verfahren der Hirnbildgebung macht Frau Prof. Icenhour diese Zusammenhänge sichtbar und erforscht, wie neurobiologische Mechanismen zur Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung von Erkrankungen beitragen.
Ausgehend von einem bio-psycho-sozialen Krankheitsmodell zielen diese Arbeiten darauf ab, wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse mit direkter Relevanz für die klinische Anwendung zu gewinnen. Der enge Austausch zwischen Forschung und klinischem Kontext ermöglicht ein vertieftes Verständnis der zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen und unterstützt die Weiterentwicklung evidenzbasierter Behandlungsansätze, beispielsweise für von chronischem Schmerz Betroffene.
Curriculum Vitae
- Seit 2023 Professorin für Affektive Neurowissenschaften, Medizinische Fakultät, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
- Seit 2021 Projektleitung, DFG SFB1280 “Extinction Learning”, Projekt A10
- 2021 – 2023 Postdoktorandin, Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
- 12 – 2021 Habilitation and Venia Legendi für Medizinische Psychologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- 2021 Postdoktorandin, Translational Pain Research Unit, Abteilung für Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- 2017 – 2020 Postdoktorandin, Institut für Medizinische Psychologie und Verhaltensimmunbiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- 2016 – 2017 DFG-Forschungsstipendium, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Universitätsklinikum Linköping, Schweden
- 09 – 2015 Dr. rer. medic., Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Duisburg-Essen (summa cum laude)
- 2012 – 2015 Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin, Institut für Medizinische Psychologie und Verhaltensimmunbiologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- 09 – 2011 Diplom in Psychologie (Nebenfach Medizin), Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
- 2003 – 2011 Studium der Psychologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Aktuelle Publikationen
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Barazanji N, Sjödahl J, Orell G, Evripidou M, Adjeiwaah M, Icenhour A, Lundberg P, Walter S (2026). From Gut Feeling to Gray Matter: Mapping Defecation Urgency in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology, 171(1), 126-139. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2026.01.032
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Öhlmann H, Rohde L, Langhorst J, Icenhour A, Engler H, Elsenbruch S (2026). Fear-induced hyperalgesia in quiescent inflammatory bowel disease. Pain, 167(4), 832-843. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003853
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Bureychak T, Sjödahl J, Barazanji N, Orell G, Book O, Simon R, Bednarska O, Icenhour A, Walter S (2026). Exploring Associations of Different Types of Childhood Trauma With Symptomatology in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Neurogastroenterol Motil, 38(4), e70148. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70148
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Aulenkamp JL, Pawlik RJ, Guddat C, Engler H, Kleine-Borgmann J, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2026). Unraveling nocebo effects in visceral pain: negative suggestion and adverse treatment experience uniquely shape visceral pain unpleasantness. Pain, 167(3), 606-617. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003827
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Pertz M, Penack T, Pawlik RJ, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2026). Pain modality shapes empathy: Amplified empathic responses for visceral compared to somatic pain. J Pain, 39, 105631. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105631
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Radua J, Savage HS, Vilajosana E, Jamieson A, Abler B, Åhs F, Beckers T, Cardoner N, Cisler JM, Diniz JB, Bach DR, Elsenbruch S, Greening SG, Holt DJ, Kaczkurkin AN, Keil A, Kindt M, Koch K, LaBar KS, Lam CL, Larson CL, Lonsdorf TB, Merz CJ, McLaughlin KA, Neria Y, Pine DS, van Reekum CM, Shackman AJ, Soriano-Mas C, Spoormaker VI, Stout DM, Straube B, Straube T, Tuominen L, Visser RM, Ahumada L, Arolt V, Batistuzzo MC, Bazán PR, Biggs EE, Cano M, Chavarría-Elizondo P, Cooper SE, Dannlowski U, de la Peña-Arteaga V, DeCross SN, Domschke K, Ehlers MR, Graner JL, Hamm AO, Herrmann MJ, Huggins AA, Icenhour A, Juaneda-Seguí A, Junghoefer M, Kircher T, Koelkebeck K, Kuhn M, Labrenz F, Lissek SM, Lotze M, Lueken U, Margraf J, Martínez-Zalacaín I, Moeck R, Morriss J, Ortuño M, Pittig A, Porta-Casteras D, Richter J, Ridderbusch IC, Rief W, Roesmann K, Rosén J, Rußmann AN, Sjouwerman R, Spohrs J, Ströhle A, Suarez-Jimenez B, Ulrich M, Wittchen HU, Zhu X, Waller L, Walter H, Thompson PM, Bas-Hoogendam JM, Groenewold NA, J Stein D, Van der Wee NJ, Dunsmoor JE, Marquand AF, J Harrison B, Fullana MA (2025). Neural correlates of human fear conditioning and sources of variability in 2199 individuals. Nat Commun, 16(1), 7869. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-63078-x
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Labrenz F, Kalenbach A, Elsenbruch S, Icenhour A (2025). Costly pain avoidance and its impact on the modulation and extinction of visceral pain-related fear. Sci Rep, 15(1), 27001. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10499-9
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Butry L, Thomä J, Elsenbruch S, Icenhour A, Rehmann R, Enax-Krumova E, Schlaffke L (2025). Brain network properties in chronic pain-a systematic review and meta-analysis of graph-based connectivity metrics. Front Neurosci, 19, 1672542. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1672542
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Lanters LR, Öhlmann H, Langhorst J, Theysohn N, Engler H, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2024). Disease-specific alterations in central fear network engagement during acquisition and extinction of conditioned interoceptive fear in inflammatory bowel disease. Mol Psychiatry, 29(11), 3527-3536. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02612-7
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Öhlmann H, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S, Benson S (2024). "Powerful placebo": A teaching and learning concept addressing placebo and nocebo effects in competency-based communication training. GMS J Med Educ, 41(4), Doc38. doi: 10.3205/zma001693
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Öhlmann H, Lanters LR, Theysohn N, Langhorst J, Engler H, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2023). Distinct Alterations in Central Pain Processing of Visceral and Somatic Pain in Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis Compared to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Health. J Crohns Colitis, 17(10), 1639-1651. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad080
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Aulenkamp JL, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2023). Nocebo effects in visceral pain: concept and design of the experimental randomized-controlled pain study 'NoVis'. Front Psychiatry, 14, 1270189. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1270189
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Labrenz F, Merz CJ, Icenhour A (2023). Connecting dots in disorders of gut-brain interaction: the interplay of stress and sex hormones in shaping visceral pain. Front Psychiatry, 14, 1204136. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1204136
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Aulenkamp J, Steinmüller K, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2022). From gut feeling to visceral pain : Effects of negative expectations in the context of the gut-brain axis. Schmerz, 36(3), 182-188. doi: 10.1007/s00482-021-00614-w
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Benson S, Theysohn N, Kleine-Borgmann J, Rebernik L, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2022). Positive Treatment Expectations Shape Perceived Medication Efficacy in a Translational Placebo Paradigm for the Gut-Brain Axis. Front Psychiatry, 13, 824468. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.824468
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Barazanji N, Paul Hamilton J, Icenhour A, Simon RA, Bednarska O, Tapper S, Tisell A, Lundberg P, Engström M, Walter S (2022). Irritable bowel syndrome in women: Association between decreased insular subregion volumes and gastrointestinal symptoms. Neuroimage Clin, 35, 103128. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103128
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Labrenz F, Woud ML, Elsenbruch S, Icenhour A (2022). The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly-Chances, Challenges, and Clinical Implications of Avoidance Research in Psychosomatic Medicine. Front Psychiatry, 13, 841734. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.841734
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Icenhour A, Petrakova L, Hazzan N, Theysohn N, Merz CJ, Elsenbruch S (2021). When gut feelings teach the brain to fear pain: Context-dependent activation of the central fear network in a novel interoceptive conditioning paradigm. Neuroimage, 238, 118229. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118229
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Koenen LR, Pawlik RJ, Icenhour A, Petrakova L, Forkmann K, Theysohn N, Engler H, Elsenbruch S (2021). Author Correction: Associative learning and extinction of conditioned threat predictors across sensory modalities. Commun Biol, 4(1), 1000. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02542-y
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Koenen LR, Pawlik RJ, Icenhour A, Petrakova L, Forkmann K, Theysohn N, Engler H, Elsenbruch S (2021). Associative learning and extinction of conditioned threat predictors across sensory modalities. Commun Biol, 4(1), 553. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02008-1
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Norlin AK, Walter S, Icenhour A, Keita ÅV, Elsenbruch S, Bednarska O, Jones MP, Simon R, Engström M (2021). Fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome is associated with plasma levels of TNF-α and mesocorticolimbic connectivity. Brain Behav Immun, 92, 211-222. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.11.035
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Simon RA, Barazanji N, Jones MP, Bednarska O, Icenhour A, Engström M, Hamilton JP, Keita ÅV, Walter S (2021). Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide plasma levels associated with affective symptoms and brain structure and function in healthy females. Sci Rep, 11(1), 1406. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80873-2
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Rahal H, Videlock EJ, Icenhour A, Shih W, Naliboff B, Gupta A, Mayer EA, Chang L (2020). Importance of trauma-related fear in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and early adverse life events. Neurogastroenterol Motil, 32(9), e13896. doi: 10.1111/nmo.13896
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Icenhour A, Labrenz F, Roderigo T, Benson S, Elsenbruch S (2020). The Role of Chronic Stress in Normal Visceroception: Insights From an Experimental Visceral Pain Study in Healthy Volunteers. Front Psychiatry, 11, 107. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00107
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Icenhour A, Tapper S, Bednarska O, Witt ST, Tisell A, Lundberg P, Elsenbruch S, Walter S (2019). Elucidating the putative link between prefrontal neurotransmission, functional connectivity, and affective symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. Sci Rep, 9(1), 13590. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50024-3
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Icenhour A, Labrenz F, Roderigo T, Siebert C, Elsenbruch S, Benson S (2019). Are there sex differences in visceral sensitivity in young healthy men and women?. Neurogastroenterol Motil, 31(9), e13664. doi: 10.1111/nmo.13664
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Bednarska O, Icenhour A, Tapper S, Witt ST, Tisell A, Lundberg P, Elsenbruch S, Engström M, Walter S (2019). Reduced excitatory neurotransmitter levels in anterior insulae are associated with abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Pain, 160(9), 2004-2012. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001589
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Benson S, Siebert C, Koenen LR, Engler H, Kleine-Borgmann J, Bingel U, Icenhour A, Elsenbruch S (2019). Cortisol affects pain sensitivity and pain-related emotional learning in experimental visceral but not somatic pain: a randomized controlled study in healthy men and women. Pain, 160(8), 1719-1728. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001579
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Simon RA, Engström M, Icenhour A, Lowén M, Ström M, Tillisch K, Mayer E, Elsenbruch S, Walter S (2019). On Functional Connectivity and Symptom Relief After Gut-directed Hypnotherapy in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Preliminary Study. J Neurogastroenterol Motil, 25(3), 478-479. doi: 10.5056/jnm19069
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Witt ST, Bednarska O, Keita ÅV, Icenhour A, Jones MP, Elsenbruch S, Söderholm JD, Engström M, Mayer EA, Walter S (2019). Interactions between gut permeability and brain structure and function in health and irritable bowel syndrome. Neuroimage Clin, 21, 101602. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.11.012
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Koenen LR, Icenhour A, Forkmann K, Theysohn N, Forsting M, Bingel U, Elsenbruch S (2018). From Anticipation to the Experience of Pain: The Importance of Visceral Versus Somatic Pain Modality in Neural and Behavioral Responses to Pain-Predictive Cues. Psychosom Med, 80(9), 826-835. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000612
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Koenen LR, Icenhour A, Forkmann K, Pasler A, Theysohn N, Forsting M, Bingel U, Elsenbruch S (2017). Greater fear of visceral pain contributes to differences between visceral and somatic pain in healthy women. Pain, 158(8), 1599-1608. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000924
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Icenhour A, Witt ST, Elsenbruch S, Lowén M, Engström M, Tillisch K, Mayer EA, Walter S (2017). Brain functional connectivity is associated with visceral sensitivity in women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Neuroimage Clin, 15, 449-457. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.06.001
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Labrenz F, Icenhour A, Schlamann M, Forsting M, Bingel U, Elsenbruch S (2016). From Pavlov to pain: How predictability affects the anticipation and processing of visceral pain in a fear conditioning paradigm. Neuroimage, 130, 104-114. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.01.064
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Labrenz F, Icenhour A, Thürling M, Schlamann M, Forsting M, Timmann D, Elsenbruch S (2015). Sex differences in cerebellar mechanisms involved in pain-related safety learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem, 123, 92-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.05.006
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Icenhour A, Kattoor J, Benson S, Boekstegers A, Schlamann M, Merz CJ, Forsting M, Elsenbruch S (2015). Neural circuitry underlying effects of context on human pain-related fear extinction in a renewal paradigm. Hum Brain Mapp, 36(8), 3179-93. doi: 10.1002/hbm.22837
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Labrenz F, Icenhour A, Benson S, Elsenbruch S (2015). Contingency Awareness Shapes Acquisition and Extinction of Emotional Responses in a Conditioning Model of Pain-Related Fear. Front Behav Neurosci, 9, 318. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00318
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Gramsch C, Kattoor J, Icenhour A, Forsting M, Schedlowski M, Gizewski ER, Elsenbruch S (2014). Learning pain-related fear: neural mechanisms mediating rapid differential conditioning, extinction and reinstatement processes in human visceral pain. Neurobiol Learn Mem, 116, 36-45. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.08.003