- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common chronic functional disorder affecting 10 -15% of the world's population. This intestinal disorder is defined by symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, pain often combined with psychological problems (depression and anxiety). Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. Unlike IBS, IBD is characterized by chronic mucosal inflammation of all or part of the digestive tract evolving by periods of relapses and remissions.
- Brain-gut communication is essential to maintain intestinal homeostasis. This communication but also gastrointestinal functions are mainly controlled by the enteric nervous system, an intrinsic network composed of neurons and enteric glial cells. Both IBS and IBD have a loss of intestinal homeostasis with an impaired intestinal barrier, pro-inflammatory chronic conditions and an alteration of the enteric nervous system.
- Enteric glial cells have been shown to strengthen the intestinal barrier by promoting proliferation, differentiation of epithelial cells or by regulating its properties through the release of mediators.
My research focuses on the study of interactions between the mucosa, enteric glial cells and immune cells, such as mast cells and eosinophils which have been shown to be involved in the regulation of the intestinal barrier in both IBS and IBD. My overall aim is to link the gut findings to measurements taken in the brain, and to patients clinical symptoms.