Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: New Insights in Enteric Regulation

By: Martin Storr, M.D., Ph.D., Division of Gastroenterology, University of Calgary, Canada

Martin Storr, M.D. is the recipient of the 2009 IFFGD Research Award for Junior Investigator, Basic Science. Dr. Storr’s research interests include understanding the regulatory role of the endocannabinoid and the endoopioid systems in gastrointestinal function and the potential use as future therapeutics in functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Summary

What are functional gastrointestinal diseases?

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD) are a broad spectrum of different disorders that are grouped together. They are associated with numerous symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, difficulties swallowing, abdominal discomfort and pain, as well as altered bowel habits, just to name some of the possible symptoms.

What causes functional gastrointestinal disorders?

The abnormal function (pathophysiology) of the different functional gastrointestinal disorders is complex. Various abnormalities have been reported in different groups of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders and these include increased gut sensitivity (visceral hypersensitivity), altered gut motility, disturbances of central processing of visceral sensory information, and other disturbances of brain-gut interactions.

What is the endocannabinoid system?

Endocannabinoids are physiological substances that act on cannabinoid receptors and thereby alter motility, sensation, painful sensation (nociception), inflammation, and secretion in the gastrointestinal tract.

How can this endocannabinoid system be useful in functional gastrointestinal disorders?

The endocannabinoid system is crucially involved in the regulation of numerous gastrointestinal functions including gastrointestinal motility, sensation, secretion, inflammation, and defense under both normal and abnormal conditions. Though we presently do not know all the details about this involvement of the endocannabinoid system and on the exact mechanisms that control the correct functioning of the endocannabinoid system, we do know that we can specifically target the endocannabinoid system with drugs and thereby alter bowel function. This knowledge may be translated into future treatments where gastrointestinal inflammation is involved.

Conclusion

There is still more research needed until drugs targeting the endocannabinoid system may be available for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. The presently available information looks very promising and allows exciting insights in the understanding of gastrointestinal function in health and disease.