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Chronic constipation is associated with cognitive decline

19 July 2023

A large study found that infrequent bowel movements are associated with a 73 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, including deficits in memory and attention

Nerve pain from diabetes can be treated with faecal transplants

13 July 2023

Faecal transplants alleviated nerve pain in people with diabetes, suggesting gut bacteria may play a role in causing such pain

We may finally know why psychological stress worsens gut inflammation

26 May 2023

A pathway between the brain and the immune system discovered in mice could explain why prolonged stress can exacerbate inflammatory bowel disease

Keto diet may treat epilepsy by changing the gut microbiome

12 April 2023

Mice that received gut microbes from children with epilepsy on the ketogenic diet were protected from seizures. The finding suggests the microbiome is behind the diet's seizure-reducing effect

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii bacteria, illustration - Image ID: W0YJBD (RF)

Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to lower levels of some gut bacteria

8 February 2023

People with chronic fatigue syndrome have less of a kind of gut bacteria that produces inflammation-fighting molecules, suggesting a possible target for new treatments

Your gut bacteria may influence how motivated you are to exercise

14 December 2022

A study conducted in mice suggests certain gut bacteria can regulate motivation to exercise by increasing dopamine levels in the brain during physical activity

Carbon monoxide foam in the rectum eases bowel disease in mice

29 June 2022

It's best known as a deadly poison, but in low doses, carbon monoxide can have therapeutic benefits for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. Now, researchers may have found a way to deliver the treatment safely in a foam

2BKMNTM Close up of woman hands eating cereal bowl with fruit after intermittent fasting sitting on a table at home

Intermittent fasting linked to better gut and liver function in mice

28 June 2022

Limiting meals to an 8-hour window each day regulates the circadian rhythm of multiple organs in mice, potentially staving off chronic disease

All moral rights asserted. Recolouring or alteration of the image is prohibited without permission. Light micrograph of a section through a duodenum, the beginning of the small intestine, which runs from the stomach to the large intestine. It is where digestion begins and nutrients are absorbed into the blood. The interior (lumen, left) is lined with villi, which are folds in the intestinal surface that greatly increase the surface area for absorption. Also within the surface are crypts of Lieberkuhn (red-lined ovoids), which secrete enzymes into the lumen that help to digest the food. Underlying this layer is the muscularis mucosae (thin violet line) and connective tissue (blue). Across bottom are layers of smooth muscle and then circular and longitudinal muscles that contract and relax to move food through the duodenum. Magnification: x100 when printed at 15 centimetres wide.

Irritable bowel syndrome may be caused by overreacting gut cells

6 May 2022

Epithelial cells in the gut remain active in mice even after an irritant clears, which may be the source of chronic gut pain associated with irritable bowel syndrome