East Lansing-based Michigan State University researchers identified what they believe causes intestinal inflammation, one of the first stages of irritable bowel syndrome, Newsweek reports.
Researchers, who published their findings in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, discovered how different types of cells and substances in the gut cause intestinal inflammation.
Researchers studied how tachykinins create inflammation allowing IBS to develop. Tachykinins frequently interact with neurons in the gut and enteric glial cells. When inflammation occurs, the glial cells give off molecular signals to the neurons making the gut more sensitive.
Researchers believe the research lays out the pathway to turn the agitated glia into "happy glia," reducing gut sensitivity and returning gut function to normal.