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Key research themes
1. How do biopsychosocial and neurogastroenterological mechanisms contribute to bowel dysfunction pathophysiology and symptom heterogeneity?
This research theme explores the multifactorial etiologies and mechanisms underlying bowel dysfunction, particularly in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). It emphasizes the interplay of altered gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, neuroimmune interactions, brain-gut axis dysregulation, psychosocial factors, and genetic/environmental influences. Understanding these complex interactions is critical for improving diagnostic frameworks and developing targeted, personalized therapies.
Key finding: This paper provides a comprehensive biopsychosocial model for FGIDs, detailing how gut motor disturbances, visceral hypersensitivity, altered mucosal/immune function, and central nervous system processing interact within the... Read more
Key finding: The study elucidates the complex interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors in FGIDs, providing empirical evidence that parental behaviors, childhood trauma, and psychological traits collectively... Read more
Key finding: This review emphasizes the multifaceted mechanisms of IBS pathophysiology, including altered brain-gut interactions, gut motility abnormalities, and visceral hypersensitivity. It discusses the role of psychosocial stress,... Read more
Key finding: This technical review details quantitative motility abnormalities in IBS and their variability, coupled with enhanced visceral sensitivity and central nervous system modulation. It documents that only subsets of IBS patients... Read more
Key finding: The article synthesizes evidence on the complex interplay of brain-gut axis dysregulation, microbial dysbiosis, immune activation, altered gut motility, and psychological comorbidity in FGIDs. It highlights challenges such as... Read more
2. What are the neuropathological and physiological abnormalities underpinning severe bowel dysfunction including obstructed defecation and neurogenic bowel dysfunction?
This theme investigates structural and functional alterations in the enteric nervous system, colonic motility, and bowel neural control that manifest in severe bowel dysfunction syndromes such as obstructed defecation and neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD). Research focuses on histopathological changes, including neuronal and glial cell abnormalities, as well as the clinical utility of advanced diagnostic techniques and management strategies for pediatric and adult populations with neurogenic or obstructive etiologies.
Key finding: This study identifies significant reductions in enteric neurons in the submucosal plexus and enteric glial cells in both myenteric and submucosal plexuses in patients with severe, treatment-refractory obstructed defecation,... Read more
Key finding: This expert consensus report emphasizes the increasing prevalence and complex management of pediatric neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) across a broad spectrum of neurological conditions beyond spina bifida. The paper... Read more
Key finding: The guidelines synthesize current evidence and expert consensus on neurogenic lower urinary tract and bowel dysfunction, emphasizing lesion-specific pathophysiology influencing bowel control. The work outlines systematic... Read more
Key finding: This retrospective cohort analysis reveals that a subset of motility-disordered patients undergoing bowel resection exhibit histopathological abnormalities such as hypertrophy/hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus. Patients... Read more
3. What are the clinical diagnostic criteria, epidemiological characteristics, and evidence-based management strategies for irritable bowel syndrome and related functional bowel disorders?
This theme encompasses evidence-based approaches to the diagnosis and management of IBS and functional bowel disorders, with emphasis on symptom-based criteria (primarily Rome classifications), epidemiological variation across populations, and the integration of clinical guidelines tailored to geographic and resource contexts. It also involves strategies for effective communication, minimizing stigma, and the use of both conventional and novel therapeutics including pharmacologic, behavioral, and microbiome-targeting interventions.
Key finding: This consensus provides region-specific, evidence-based guidelines for IBS in India, developed using a modified Delphi process among national experts. It addresses diagnostic criteria adapted to the Indian population,... Read more
Key finding: The WGO guidelines promote a resource-sensitive diagnostic and management framework for IBS, advocating symptom-based diagnosis with exclusion of alarm features tailored to healthcare settings. The guidelines recommend a... Read more
Key finding: This article outlines IBS as a disorder with multifactorial biopsychosocial pathogenesis, discussing symptom-based diagnosis using Rome criteria. It reviews conventional treatments including dietary fiber, antidiarrheals, and... Read more
Key finding: This prospective study identified that 21% of patients with functional bowel/anorectal disorders report stool output after meals, which associates with increased frequency of functional diarrhea and levator ani syndrome but... Read more