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Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Chronic Salmonella Infection Induced Intestinal Fibrosis
Published on: September 22, 2019
Functional Bowel Disorders Are Associated with a Central Immune Activation
Per G Farup1,2, Thor Ueland3, Knut Rudi4
1Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2381 Brumunddal, Norway.
Background:
Subjects with depression and unexplained neurological symptoms have a high prevalence of gastrointestinal comorbidity probably related to the brain-gut communication. This study explored associations between functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) and inflammatory markers in subjects with these disorders.
Methods:
The FGID, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), were classified according to the Rome III criteria, and degree of symptoms was assessed with IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS). A range of interleukins (IL), chemokines and growth factors, tryptophan, and kynurenine were analysed in serum and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were analysed in the faeces. The results are reported as partial correlation (pc) and p values.
Results:
Sixty-six subjects were included. IBS was associated with high levels of tryptophan (p = 0.048) and kynurenine (p = 0.019) and low level of IL-10 (p = 0.047) in the CSF. IBS-SSS was associated with high tumor necrosis factor and low IL-10 in the CSF; pc = 0.341 and p = 0.009 and pc = -0.299 and p = 0.023, respectively. Propionic minus butyric acid in faeces was negatively associated with IL-10 in the CSF (pc = -0.416, p = 0.005).
Conclusions:
FGID were associated with a proinflammatory immune activation in the central nervous system and a disturbed tryptophan metabolism that could have been mediated by the faecal microbiota.
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