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The Water Closet

IBS Is All in Your Head

5/11/2017

16 Comments

 
Well, not totally. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is also in your gut, of course. But recent research has revealed structural changes in the brains of people diagnosed with IBS that demonstrate an organic component to the disorder. This is huge, as it's the first time scientists have confirmed an association between the gut microbiota and the brain regions involved in processing the body's sensory information.
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​Emeran Mayer,  a world-renowned gastroenterologist and neuroscientist, and the codirector of CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center at UCLA, has been studying for years how the gut's microorganisms and our nervous system influence health and disease. A recent study published in the journal Microbiome suggests that signals generated by the brain can affect the composition of the microbes present in the intestine and that the chemicals in the gut can alter the structure of the human brain.

Most of the early research on the relationship between gut microflora and the brain's functioning has been performed on mice, but this recent study combined clinical tests on adults diagnosed with IBS and healthy adults as controls and determined that the subjects with IBS could be clustered into two groups based on differences in their gut microbes. One group's microbiota couldn't be distinguished from the healthy control subjects, while the composition of the other group's gut bacteria was distinctly different.

One of the most interesting outcomes of the research was the discovery of subtle but significant differences in brain structure between the subgroups. The study found that areas of the brain associated with unifying the body's sensory information were slightly larger in the subgroup whose microbiota differed more from those of healthy subjects. In addition, the front part of the insular cortex (the area of the brain that's linked with keeping certain body functions in balance, as well as processing emotions and managing cognitive functions) was slightly smaller in this group, as was their ventral prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved with personality development.

Note that these subgroups are not correlated with clinical findings related to bowel habits or psychological symptom scores. In fact, the findings suggest a possible new classification of IBS based on patients' microbial profiles rather than on clinical observations. Additionally, the findings may help explain why treatments that alter the composition of gut microbes (such as antibiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics), fiber supplementation, and certain dietary approaches may only be effective with particular subgroups of patients and may worsen symptoms in other subgroups.

Another interesting discovery was that the subjects in the IBS group with the altered gut microbiota had a greater history of early life trauma and a longer duration of IBS symptoms. Surprisingly, trauma early in life has been linked with structural and functional brain changes, and it's also been associated with alterations to the gut's microbial composition. The researchers theorize that a history of early adverse life events may result in lifelong changes to a person's gut microbiota, and that these alterations may send signals to the brain, which in turn affect the brain's sensitivity to gut stimuli, one of the telltale characteristics of IBS.

The ties between gut microbes and the brain are complex. Other conditions, such as anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Parkinson's disease, also show intricate interactions with the microbiome. In the future, it's likely that identifying IBS subgroups based on a patient's gut microbiota, metabolomic profile, and corresponding brain signature will play an important role in routine IBS screening and in optimized targeted therapies, such as cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and specific drugs. 

*****
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
Do you have a history of childhood trauma or early adverse life events? Do you think that your level of emotional sensitivity is more heightened than people who don't have IBS? Do you struggle with your ability to process your emotions? Do the findings of this study resonate with you on a personal level? Let's get a dialogue going!

I love hearing from you! Please post your responses in the comment section below.

16 Comments
Patti Cone, MPH
5/11/2017 10:27:48 am

Yes, yes, and yes

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/11/2017 10:39:58 am

Thanks, Patti. I think it will be interesting to see informally if others concur. I know for me, I share your same responses! :)

Reply
Lisa Viger link
5/11/2017 12:53:30 pm

Yes to all of the above... a blessing and a curse 😊

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/11/2017 01:12:07 pm

Haha! So true, Lisa. In a way, these findings make me feel vindicated. It's comforting and reassuring to know my sensitivity (both emotional and physical) is valid and has an organic "cause."

Reply
danielle
5/11/2017 03:12:16 pm

Yes, yes, yes and Autistic.

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/11/2017 03:19:32 pm

That's really interesting to know, Danielle -- thank you for sharing such a personal detail. Now I'm wondering how many other people with autism also have IBS or similar digestive disorders!

Reply
danielle
5/11/2017 03:13:44 pm

Also, much gratitude to you, Jo!

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/11/2017 03:20:12 pm

Thanks so much, Danielle! 💚

Reply
Wendy
5/12/2017 01:43:43 am

I definitely agree. I am extremely sensitive to everyone and everything in my environment. I suffer a lot of anxiety and distress over this. Counseling has helped me to be aware of this and to use coping skills to mitigate. My IBS is less pronounced when implicating these skills.

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/12/2017 07:43:24 am

I appreciate your sharing this personal information, Wendy! I agree that learning how to manage our emotions -- including anxiety, stress, anger, and sadness -- can positively affect IBS symptoms. It's not easy to do, but it's definitely worth the effort.

Reply
Kath
5/12/2017 09:36:41 pm

But is it possible to cure/fix it? (Actually I want to hear that it can heal, that it is not chronic.) Does the researchstudy suggest something how to deal with it? How to cure it?

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/13/2017 07:14:12 am

Hi, Kath. There isn't any cure for IBS at this time. This study is a breakthrough, however, in that it is the first time research has shown structural changes in the human brain related to IBS and the gut microbiota. Although the study was small and preliminary and more research needs to be done to corroborate the findings, it's an enormous start toward pinpointing a possible cause for some types of IBS. Once a cause is substantiated, more treatments and potential cures can be investigated.

For current treatments and to learn how to deal with IBS and manage your symptoms, please see the information posted throughout this website and also read my book "Low-FODMAP and Vegan" (https://goo.gl/7szVZF).

Reply
Crystal
5/16/2017 12:29:09 am

FINALLY a little more research done on IBS!!!
It's one of the most frustrating and chronic conditions (if that is what I've been dealing with for years and years)
My stomach is constantly upset when I eat anything, which makes depicting food sensitivities impossible lol!

Luckily, I have your book Jo! :)

Reply
Jo Stepaniak
5/16/2017 09:46:26 am

Isn't it great to see research on IBS ramping up, Crystal? It would be worth talking with your healthcare provider to try to get a solid diagnosis, just so you can rule out other conditions that may be responsible for your digestive woes. I hope my book is helping, though!

Reply
Lilian
12/28/2017 11:47:38 pm

Yes to all. Thank you so much!

Reply
Lisa
2/7/2018 09:35:33 pm

Yes yes and yes
I also identify with being highly sensitive and empathetic.
I feel this research is exactly how I am and what I’ve gone through my whole life. Thank you for posting

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