The Brain-Gut-Microbiotal Axis: A framework for understanding functional GI illness and their therapeutic interventions.

The Brain-Gut-Microbiotal Axis: A framework for understanding functional GI illness and their therapeutic interventions. Eur J Intern Med. 2021 Jan 07;: Authors: Tait C, Sayuk GS Abstract Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), characterized by chronic abdominal complaints without a structural or biochemical cause, are common diseases that are frequently encountered by specialists in internal medicine. Collectively, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia are estimated to affect up to 22% of the population, and are often associated with additional somatic and pain complaints, all without an obvious structural source [1,2]. An appreciation of the current understanding of the mechanistic basis for these disorders is key to developing treatment goals and optimization of patient management strategies. In recent years, the brain-gut axis increasingly has been recognized as a central factor in the experience of functional abdominal pain disorders, including the most recent Rome IV guidelines which identify FGIDs as disorders of gut-brain interaction [3]. The brain-gut axis (BGA), simply defined, is a complex network of bidirectional communication between the central and enteric nervous systems. This axis broadly includes all the systems involved with communication between the GI tract and central nervous system (CNS), with principle inputs into this network occurring between the CNS, enteric nervous system (ENS), and...
Source: European Journal of Internal Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Eur J Intern Med Source Type: research