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Gastroenterology news

New approach opens rare immune cells to genetic risk research

Much of how genetic risk leads to disease has remained hidden. In many cases, genetic variants linked to disease do not act on nearby genes along the chromosome. Instead, they influence genes located far away along the DNA ...

A new target in the gut for reducing Alzheimer's risk

A compound produced by bacteria in many people's digestive tracts increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and speeds cognitive decline in dementia patients, making it a potential target for a treatment that could ...

Patients with IBD face elevated risk of psychiatric disorders

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) face a significantly higher risk of psychiatric disorders starting two to three years before diagnosis and lasting up to a decade afterward, according to a nationwide study published ...

Genetic marker may flag severe IBD earlier in some patients

In the largest genetic study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) traits to date, researchers have identified a genetic marker associated with more severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease—the major forms of IBD.

Megacolon: When constipation becomes something more serious

The colon is about one and a half meters long and plays a vital role in moving waste through the body. In rare cases, it can become so stretched that it begins to lose its ability to work properly, like an elastic band that ...

Engineers find a way to deliver drugs directly to the esophagus

There are few treatment options available for people with disorders of the esophagus. Delivering drugs directly to this part of the body is difficult, so patients are usually treated with systemic drugs, which can have unwanted ...