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Modulation of the gut microbiota is one of the promising tools to tackle obesity. Chang and colleagues have recently shown that an extract of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional remedy in Asia, can reduce obesity in mice by modulating the gut microbiota, thereby exerting a prebiotic effect.
The landscape of treatment for IBD changed dramatically with the introduction of biologic agents, of which several are now in use for this condition. Here, the authors provide practical insights into the use of biologic agents in IBD, discussing issues such as comparative effectiveness, safety, immunogenicity, cost and patient preference.
Measurements of liver copper content are considered the gold standard for diagnosis of Wilson disease. New evidence shows that a reduction of the diagnostic threshold indicative for Wilson disease potentially improves diagnostic accuracy.
Upper gastrointestinal cancer is often missed during examinations and survival outcomes are still poor among patients in the Western world. As discussed in this Perspectives, following the Japanese example, an improved gastroscopy technique, advanced training for endoscopists and optimized screening procedures for risk stratification will be necessary to elicit a change in clinical practice and improve diagnosis and treatment.
Coeliac disease is common, but remains under-diagnosed, partly because it can present with extraintestinal symptoms that do not immediately enable an accurate diagnosis of the underlying disease. In this Review, Leffler and colleagues discuss the most common extraintestinal manifestations, including dermatitis herpetiformis, gluten ataxia, anaemia, osteoporosis and others, to raise additional awareness among clinicians.
The role of the gut microbiota in brain development and behaviour is emerging. New research demonstrates that maturation and activation of microglia are regulated by the gut microbiota, providing more evidence for the link between the microbiota and brain health.