Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected — an estimated ten percent or more of the population. And what irritates many of them even more is that they often are labeled as hypochondriacs, since physical causes for irritable bowel syndrome have never been identified. Now, biologists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have shed new light on the matter: They have discovered mini-inflammations in the mucosa of the gut, which upset the sensitive balance of the bowel and are accompanied by sensitization of the enteric nervous system…

A Swedish investigation has compared choir singing and group discussion in irritable bowel syndrome in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Singing in a choir is very popular in the Nordic countries. This activity has been associated with increased longevity, and it induces feelings of relaxation and energy. Several studies have shown beneficial psychological and/or biological effects of singing…

Nearly one-third of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who underwent a novel behavior treatment developed by a University at Buffalo behavioral scientist achieved significant relief within four weeks of beginning treatment. These patients, called “rapid responders” maintained their improvement at a three-month follow-up, despite reporting more severe IBS symptoms when they started the treatment. Results also showed that the amount of “face time” spent with a therapist during the 10-week treatment regimen didn’t have an effect on rapid response…

A significant proportion of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients treated with cognitive behavior therapy have a positive response within four weeks of treatment, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. “Patients who quickly achieve treatment gains - for example, IBS symptom relief - may be spared the cost and inconvenience of follow-up care of little therapeutic value…

Every day, our gut comes in contact with bacteria, inducing an inflammatory response that is tolerated and controlled. Sometimes the control of inflammation is lost and this can lead to inflammatory bowel disease that may predispose to colon cancer. Caspase-1, an important protein involved in the mechanism of inflammation, has long been believed to be one of the culprits behind excessive inflammation in the colon. Dr. Saleh’s team suggests the opposite in a new study…

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from chronic inflammation of the gut leading to gastrointestinal motility alterations with symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps and diarrhea that profoundly affect their quality of life. The lack of exposure to worm infections, as a result of improved living standards and medical conditions, might have contributed to the increased incidence of IBD in the Western world. Epidemiological, experimental and clinical data support the idea that worm infection provides protection against IBD…

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis do perceive a benefit from thiopurine treatment. A report in the open access journal BMC Gastroenterology has demonstrated improved health-related quality of life in 92 IBD patients. Guillermo Bastida worked with a team of researchers from La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain, to investigate the controversial thiopurine treatment. He said, “The efficacy of thiopurines in the scenarios in which they are prescribed, either to induce or to maintain remission in IBD, is well proven…

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis do perceive a benefit from thiopurine treatment. A report in the open access journal BMC Gastroenterology has demonstrated improved health-related quality of life in 92 IBD patients. Guillermo Bastida worked with a team of researchers from La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain, to investigate the controversial thiopurine treatment. He said, “The efficacy of thiopurines in the scenarios in which they are prescribed, either to induce or to maintain remission in IBD, is well proven…

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a two-year development grant to researchers with Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center to better understand the role behavioral health plays in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that causes chronic and painful inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract…

Tioga Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the closing of an $18 million equity financing. Current investors Forward Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners and BB Biotech Ventures were joined by new investor Genesys Capital Partners. The proceeds will be used to fund a Phase 3 clinical trial for asimadoline for the treatment of patients with diarrhea predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (D-IBS). The trial, one of two registration trials required for approval in the United States, is a 600-subject randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose clinical trial in D-IBS patients…