Digestion News and Research

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Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components, to a form that can be absorbed, for instance, into a blood stream. Digestion is a form of catabolism; a break-down of macro food molecules to smaller ones.

Diabetes leads to increase in autonomic and small fiber neuropathy

Autonomic and small fiber neuropathy used to be considered rare conditions. But with approximately 30 million Americans affected by diabetes – one of the main underlying causes for these diseases – it's an emerging problem.

13 Jul 2017

Modified skin biopsy could provide faster and better diagnosis of inherited, fatal nerve disease

Johns Hopkins physicians report success in a small study of a modified skin biopsy that hastens the earlier diagnosis of an inherited and progressively fatal nerve disease and seems to offer a clearer view of the disorder's severity and progression.

11 Jul 2017

Novel technique to monitor nerve function could transform the way doctors perform surgeries

In a first-of-its-kind study, Mount Sinai researchers have discovered a novel technique to monitor laryngeal and vagus nerve function while patients are under anesthesia during otolaryngology and neurosurgery procedures.

3 Jul 2017

Researchers discover biological link between gut bacteria metabolism and obesity

Cleveland Clinic researchers have uncovered a biological link between gut bacteria metabolism and obesity.

30 Jun 2017

New algorithm shortens drug discovery times from years to months

An algorithm developed at the Hebrew University cuts through the immense number of possible solutions to shorten drug discovery times from years to months.

22 Jun 2017

Gut bacteria play key role in regulating abdominal pain, mice study finds

Scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland-funded APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork, Ireland, have shown that, at least in mice, gut bacteria play a key role in regulating abdominal pain and its associated changes in the brain and spinal cord.

21 Jun 2017

Research suggests how malformed proteins linked to Parkinson’s could spread from the gut to the brain

Recent research on Parkinson's disease has focused on the gut-brain connection, examining patients' gut bacteria, and even how severing the vagus nerve connecting the stomach and brain might protect some people from the debilitating disease.

15 Jun 2017

Researchers discover molecular signaling circuit that regulates autophagy

Autophagy is the recycling process by which our cells keep themselves young. They continually break down and renew small parts of themselves in a kind of self-digestion; this helps to counteract harmful deposits which may form.

1 Jun 2017

MGH scientists show how Shigella survives journey from mouth to the colon

Surviving the treacherous journey through the human body from the mouth to the colon takes a special kind of bacterial pathogen.

31 May 2017

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help cure many common phobias

Everyone fears something. In fact, it is estimated that more than 19 million Americans suffer from specific phobia.

24 May 2017

Fennel effective in management of postmenopause symptoms, study shows

Fennel, an anise-flavored herb used for cooking, has long been known for its health benefits for a variety of issues, including digestion and premenstrual symptoms.

17 May 2017

Ginger has beneficial effects against metabolic syndrome

A new review notes that recent epidemiological and clinical studies have built a consensus that ginger has beneficial effects against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and related disorders--more commonly referred to as metabolic syndrome.

16 May 2017

New research could lead to earlier diagnosis and better management of inflammatory bowel disease

A University of Manchester test on the mucus lining of the intestine, performed in mice, has found changes in bacteria that could lead to inflammatory bowel disease 12 weeks earlier than previously possible through looking at stool samples, leading to the possibility of earlier diagnosis and better management of the disease in humans.

From The University of Manchester 15 May 2017

Long periods of physiological stress can change composition of intestinal microbiota in soldiers

A new study finds that long periods of physiological stress can change the composition of microorganisms residing in the intestines, which could increase health risks in endurance athletes and military personnel.

4 May 2017

Experts highlight need for further research on differences between milk proteins

New knowledge on milk composition and quality is of essential importance to consumers as well as the industry. There are therefore considerable research efforts in milk worldwide.

28 Apr 2017

Study provides preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut

Parkinson's disease may start in the gut and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve, according to a study published in the April 26, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The vagus nerve extends from the brainstem to the abdomen and controls unconscious body processes like heart rate and food digestion.

27 Apr 2017

Johns Hopkins study shows that healthy adult gut loses and regenerates nerve cells

Johns Hopkins researchers today published new evidence refuting the long-held scientific belief that the gut nerve cells we're born with are the same ones we die with.

19 Apr 2017

Experts to present diverse advances in neuromodulation at INS congress

Experts will present diverse advances in neuromodulation from May 27 to June 1, 2017 at the 13th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society in Edinburgh, Scotland.

30 Mar 2017

Research provides new insight into how coevolution could shape microbial diversity in human gut

What drives bacterial strain diversity in the gut? Although there are a number of possible explanations, a recent opinion piece published in TRENDs in Microbiology by Dr Pauline Scanlan, a Royal Society - Science Foundation Ireland Research Fellow at the APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, addresses one potentially important and overlooked aspect of this unresolved question.

28 Mar 2017

Study links gastrointestinal disturbances of GWI with changes in intestinal microbiota

A new study from the University of South Carolina has found a gastrointestinal link that could help explain many of the health issues facing those with Gulf War Illness (GWI) as well as opening new pathways to treatment options that may improve both gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms associated with the disorder.

23 Mar 2017