Darren M. Brenner, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago--Pritzker School of Medicine, and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Michigan Hospitals, where he served as chief fellow.

Dr Brenner’s research and clinical interests include lower gastrointestinal disorders and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). He is currently the principle gastroenterologist on a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)–funded multicenter project investigating the efficacy of minimal-contact cognitive behavioral therapy for IBS. He is also initiating a trial evaluating the effects of dietary interventions on IBS symptoms. Dr Brenner has been awarded multiple teaching awards from the Divisions of Medicine and Surgery at Northwestern and has lectured on a local and national level. He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles on functional gastrointestinal disorders and currently serves as a reviewer for and is on the editorial board of several prominent gastrointestinal journals.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

The Division of Gastroenterology provides outpatient treatment of digestive disorders and gastrointestinal diseases. A diverse medical staff has expertise in diagnosing and treating the full range of GI diseases, including cancers of the digestive system, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, peptic ulcer disease, esophageal diseases, gallstones and their complications, and pancreatic diseases. Division members are active in research into GI motility and manometry, absorption-nutrition, gastrointestinal immunology, gastrointestinal cancer, and interventional endoscopy.

Phone Numbers
Practice Number: (312) 695-5620
Fax: (312) 695-7095

Practice Information
Office Location:
Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation
Galter Pavilion
675 North St Clair
Suite: 17-250
Chicago, Illinois 60611

Department Chair(s): Douglas E. Vaughan, M.D.
Ambulatory Medical Director(s): Christian G. Stevoff, MD
Division Chief(s): Arvydas D. Vanagunas, M.D.

Physicians in the Practice
Terrence A. Barrett, MD
Darren M. Brenner, MD
M. Rosario Ferreira, MD
Nirmala Gonsalves, MD
Ikuo Hirano, MD
Colin W. Howden, MD
Michael P. Jones, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF
Barbara H. Jung, MD
Peter J. Kahrilas, MD
Laurie A. Keefer, PhD
Rajesh N. Keswani, MD
Sarah W. Kinsinger, PhD
Srinadh Komanduri, MD
John A. Martin, MD
John E. Pandolfino, MD
Christian G. Stevoff, MD
Arvydas Vanagunas, MD
Laura H. Yun, MD

Care Provided For
Our physicians provide care for many medical conditions including (but not limited to) the following:
Adolescent and young adult gastrointestinal diseases
Cancers of the digestive system
Constipation
Crohn's disease
Diarrhea
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
General digestive conditions
Inflammatory bowel disease
Motility disorders
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcers

Treatments and Procedures
Our physicians offer a comprehensive array of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and consultation including:
Colonoscopy
Electrogastrogram
Endoscopic ultrasound of the GI tract
ERCP
ERCP including motility of ampulla
Esophageal and anorectal motility
Esophageal dilatation, routine and achalasia
Flexible sigmoidoscopy
Liver biopsy
Small bowel motility studies
Treatment of uncomplicated hemorrhoids and fissures
Upper endoscopy

 Self Administered CBT for IBS: A Multisite Trial

The primary goal of the proposed trial is to assess the short- and long-term efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for irritable bowel syndrome using two treatment delivery systems (self administered, therapist administered). Secondary aims seek to specify the conditions under which CBT may (or may not) achieve its effects (moderator questions), why and how these effects are achieved (mediator questions) and at what economic cost. Long term project goals are to develop an effective self-administered behavioral treatment program that can enhance the quality of patient care, improve clinical outcomes, and decrease the economic and personal costs of one of the most prevalent and intractable GI disorders.

Estimated Enrollment: 480
Study Start Date: August 2010
Estimated Study Completion Date: May 2015
Estimated Primary Completion Date: May 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 70 Years
Genders Eligible for Study: Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

 Antidepressant Therapy for Functional Dyspepsia

The investigators propose to examine whether antidepressant medications are efficacious in functional dyspepsia. The prescription of antidepressants to treat functional dyspepsia is based on three propositions. First, antidepressants could reduce the severity of co-morbid psychological symptoms, especially anxiety and depression. Second, antidepressants have central analgesic actions. Third, antidepressants have been shown to have local pharmacological actions on the gut, and may specifically alter gastric emptying and fundic relaxation based on preliminary data, but the relevance of such perturbations to treatment outcome is not established.

Estimated Enrollment: 400
Study Start Date: October 2006
Estimated Study Completion Date: December 2011
Estimated Primary Completion Date: December 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 75 Years
Genders Eligible for Study: Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No