Nerve stimulation may be potential therapy for leaky gut diseases

Stimulating the vagal nerve may improve
gut permeability: study

by Anne Crawford

Research by Monash Central Clinical School scientists has suggested that stimulating the vagal nerve transcutaneously improves gut permeability and could potentially counter diseases caused by intestinal barrier dysfunction or ‘leaky gut’.  

Intestinal barrier dysfunction is likely to initiate diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease.

Improving IBD patient care with virtual clinics

Dr Mark Ward, senior author on the study

Monash researchers based at The Alfred are national leaders in improved care for Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Their recent study published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics outlines the remarkable improvement in both patient outcomes and quality use of therapy using a virtual clinic, compared to standard out-patient care, for the most challenging cases of IBD.