Research showing IBS is an organic condition. Abnormal gut responses to food found in research study using MRI scanning...

[Starbys]

Very useful research towards the understanding of IBS!

Key quotes below!

Radiologist Ragnhild Unseth of Lovisenberg Hospitalin Oslo has been conducting this research into gut responses to difficult-to-digest foods in IBS using MRI scanning following ingestion of lactulose - an indigestible syrup that is a classic FODMAP.

"if you ask Radiologist Ragnhild Undseth of Lovisenberg Hospital in Oslo whether the problem starts between the ears, HER ANSWER IS EMPHATIC.

“NO," she says. "THIS IS NOT PSYCHOLOGICAL.”

Undseth used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compare IBS patients and healthy individuals, and has now taken the first pictures that show a difference in the intestines of the two groups."

"Professor Per G. Farup of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology was not involved in this study but has worked IBS patients for years.

He comments:

“This is an important contribution in the discussion about the causes of IBS. THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS AN ORGANIC DISORDER in which patients really react to FODMAP substances,” he says. "

What the MRI images show:

"A clear difference: At left are the intestines of a healthy person and at right those of an irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patient, 60 minutes after swallowing 10g of lactulose. The white areas show that the person with IBS had accumulated much more fluid in the small intestine than the healthy individual. (Photo: Ragnhild Undseth)"

SOURCE OF QUOTES AND FULL RESEARCH ARTICLE:

sciencenordic.com/first-ima...

Thought people may find this encouraging!

IBS is quite widely - although sadly not universally - accepted as caused by nerve dysfunctions so of neurological origin.

But like with ME, in the past - and still now in part - the psychosomatic theorists have attempted to erroneously claim IBS is psychological rather than neurological.

Now, though, the gut is showing physiological as well as neurological abnormalities in this research.

This is increasing the important evidence that proves that it's the body (and brain); not the mind that's implicated in IBS!

Bye for now,

Starbys

[Ian123]

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has apologised for the way in which ME patients in Norway have been treated. This follows the publication of the ground-breaking research from Haukeland University in Bergen.

After the publication of the Rituximab study by Fluge et al (2011) and extensive media coverage since then the Norwegian Directorate of Health gave a short statement on TV2 channel, see TV2 Nettavisen.

A statement from the Norwegian Directorate of Health has been received where they apologise for not having provided the necessary and proper health services to persons with ME.

Such a public apology from a governmental health agency has never occurred before.

Bjørn Guldvog, Deputy Director General of theNorwegian Directorate of Health made the following statement:

"I think that we have not cared for people with ME to a great enough extent. I think it is correct to say that we have not established proper health care services for these people, and I regret that."

Puts Norway a long way ahead of the UK in taking the condition seriously in biomedical research.

[Starbys in reply to Ian123]

Hi Ian, Thanks for posting this. If only the UK could swallow their pride and admit that they've got it wrong too we'd be a lot better off. I think a lot of the problem is authorities and certain high profile doctors (such as Wessley and White) being unwilling to admit they've had it wrong and need to change their approach.

British authorities and people of professional standing are disastrous across the board for this, (admitting they've got it wrong and need to change) not just in relation to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, but it is particularly damaging and extreme in the case of ME.

You are right Norway are streets ahead and i really think the British culture does not help as mentioned above.

But it's no excuse whatsoever for ignoring scientific facts and costing people their lives.

Wake up UK!!!!!

Ian, please could you post this as a new post in its' own right maybe?

Thanks