A new study provides the first evidence in humans that probiotics in the diet can modulate brain activity.
Megan Brooks, Medscape Medical News / Neurology, May 30, 2013

In a proof-of-concept study using functional MRI (fMRI), researchers found that women who regularly consumed probiotic-containing yogurt showed altered activity of brain regions that control central processing of emotion and sensation. The study was funded by Danone Research.

"This study is unique because it is the first to show an interaction between a probiotic and the brain in humans," lead author Kirsten Tillisch, MD, associate professor, Oppenheimer Family Center for Neurobiology of Stress, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, toldMedscape Medical News.

"We can't say whether the effects are beneficial; that will take larger studies with more complex designs. One of the areas this will move to is study of disease groups like irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety," she added.

The results appear in the June issue of Gastroenterology.

Guidelines support previous recommendations, address murky areas of cancer screening
Public release date: 1-Oct-2012, Contact: Aimee Frank, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , American Gastroenterological Association

Bethesda, MD (Oct. 1, 2012) — Patients at average risk of colorectal cancer who have a clean colonoscopy do not need to repeat the test for 10 years. This and many other practical recommendations for cancer prevention were issued in "Guidelines for Colonoscopy Surveillance After Screening and Polypectomy,"1 a consensus update issued by the U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is preventable when precancerous polyps (growths) are found and removed before they turn into cancer. Screening for average risk patients is recommended to begin at age 50, and there are many screening tests available. During a colonoscopy, a physician examines the full length of the large intestine and removes polyps. Surveillance refers to the schedule on which doctors recheck patients for recurring polyps after their first screening.

The U.S. Multisociety Task Force — comprised of representatives of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy — evaluated the guidelines for colorectal cancer surveillance published in 2006 to determine if they should be updated based on new evidence.

Studies presented at DDW® 2013 highlight benefits of vitamin D, diet changes, acupuncture
Public release date: 18-May-2013, Contact: Aimee Frank, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Digestive Disease Week

Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) — Research presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) explores new methods for managing digestive health through diet and lifestyle.

Individuals suffering from Crohn's disease are often plagued by reduced muscle strength, fatigue and poor quality of life. These symptoms can remain even when patients are in remission. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study found for the first time that vitamin D supplementation corresponded to significant relief of these symptoms.

"Our findings may have significant implications for these patients," said Tara Raftery, research dietician and PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. "These findings, to our knowledge, are the first to suggest potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength with corresponding benefits for fatigue and quality of life in Crohn's disease. These findings, however, need to be confirmed in larger studies."