Could a troubled childhood be to blame for IBS?

New research has revealed a link between the gut and the brain in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and established it could be triggered by a traumatic childhood.

The exact cause of this common, long-term condition of the digestive system - which is often linked to diet - is not fully understood.

However, it has long been thought to be due to problems with the nerves or muscles in the gut, which bring on cramps and abdominal pain.

Now for the first time, a connection has been made between the gut bacteria of IBS patients and structural alterations in the brain.

Specifically, images of the areas processing sensory information - which are our perceptions of taste, sight, smell, hearing and touch - showed differences for IBS patients.

The study, by the University of California, Los Angeles, also found that early life trauma could indirectly trigger IBS in this way.

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