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Open research questions in Gastrointestinal motility and disorders

253 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 783 Gastrointestinal motility and disorders papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between the gut microbiota and IBS - Research on the development of non-invasive methods for diagnosing SIBO is necessary - Studies on the effects of modifying the gut microbiota on IBS symptoms are required

    Fecal microbiota profiling in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth · 2026 · DOI

  • There are no consistent markers or etiologic factors that can be used to explain the diverse symptoms of IBS. The pathogenesis of IBS remains unclear. The relationship between fecal microbiota and IBS with SIBO is not well understood.

    Fecal microbiota profiling in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth · 2026 · DOI

  • The potential psychological mechanisms of regular physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome-related symptom severity are unclear. There is a need to investigate the association between regular physical activity and IBS-related symptom severity among Chinese college students.

    Depressive symptoms as a mediator in the association between regular physical activity and irritable bowel syndrome-related symptom severity: a cross-sectional study among college students · 2026 · DOI

  • further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between SIBO/IMO and FC elevation in patients with FDr, - meta-analyses indicate that SIBO prevalence ranges from 35% to over 50% in functional dyspepsia

    Prevalence and Lack of Cross-Sectional Association Between Positive Lactulose Breath Test Findings and Fecal Calprotectin Positivity in Patients with Functional Diarrhea · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap in the current research is the lack of a comprehensive summary of paediatric colonic motility investigations over the last 31 years. Most investigations in the paediatric setting are invasive, involve radiation, or require patient hospital admission.

    Thirty years of paediatric colonic motility assessment modalities: a systematic review · 2026 · DOI

  • The study does not explicitly state the technical or domain challenges it faced, but it acknowledges the complexity of the mucosal immune system in the GI tract. It also recognizes the need to understand the bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune systems.

    Tac1 deficiency reduces the severity of enteric bacterial infection · 2026 · DOI

  • The temporal and bidirectional nature of the relationship between IBS and psychological distress is not well understood. Prior studies have primarily focused on the prevalence of psychological distress among IBS patients, rather than the bidirectional relationship.

    Bidirectional associations between irritable bowel syndrome and psychological distress: a longitudinal population-based study · 2026 · DOI

  • One of the challenges in CIC management is the lack of a standardized approach to treatment. The paper highlights the importance of careful evaluation of safety and context of use in pharmacological innovation, which can be a challenge. Another challenge is the need for more research on the gut-brain axis and its role in CIC management.

    Editorial: New insights into the management of chronic idiopathic constipation: from physiopathology to novel therapeutic strategies · 2026 · DOI

  • FMT for CIC remains investigational because donor selection, preparation, delivery, durability, safety, and predictors of response remain insufficiently standardized - spontaneous reports cannot establish incidence or causality - all outcomes were supported by low-or very-low-certainty evidence, substantial risk of bias and limited safety reporting

    Editorial: New insights into the management of chronic idiopathic constipation: from physiopathology to novel therapeutic strategies · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies the challenge of collecting accurate data on dietary fiber intake and water intake in children. The study also identifies the challenge of measuring physical activity levels in children. The study highlights the need for more research on the treatment of functional constipation in children, particularly in real-world settings.

    Factors associated with treatment response to laxative therapy in pediatric functional constipation: A real-world retrospective study · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of polyethylene glycol treatment on pediatric FC. Studies should explore the potential benefits of lifestyle interventions, such as dietary changes and increased physical activity, on treatment response. Research should investigate the underlying mechanisms of treatment response and non-response in pediatric FC

    Factors associated with treatment response to laxative therapy in pediatric functional constipation: A real-world retrospective study · 2026 · DOI

  • The limited efficacy of pharmacological management for IBS. The need for additional remedies such as lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, and psychological therapies.

    Effects of a polyphenol-rich extract blend, probiotics, and hydrolyzed fiber on quality of life and gut health markers in patients with irritable bowel syndrome—A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · 2025 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of the increase in GLP-1 levels, - Studies should investigate the effect of LFD on GLP-1 levels in a larger sample size, - Research should explore the correlation between change in GLP-1 levels and change in bodyweight

    Increase in circulating GLP-1 following low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome patients · 2025 · DOI

  • further research to delineate the role of specific microbiome alterations, - investigation of the potential of microbiome alterations as therapeutic targets, - study of the interactions between gut microbiota and the immune system

    Microbiome Shifts and Their Impact on Gut Physiology in Irritable Bowel Syndrome · 2024 · DOI

  • Newer, non-invasive tests that assess colonic transit have emerged, - Limiting radiation exposure is a goal of these new tests

    Thirty years of paediatric colonic motility assessment modalities: a systematic review · 2026 · DOI

  • Depression represents a typical mental condition, yet whether intestinal metabolic signals drive central neural circuits remains unclear.

    Ileal Gpbar1 gates depressive phenotypes via gut to brain "vagal-NTS-PVN"GABAergic axis · 2026 · DOI

  • Although music-based interventions (MBIs) have shown benefits on pain and stress, the mechanisms associated with MBI-related changes in IBS pain remain poorly understood, and the feasibility of capturing these responses using multimodal wearable monitoring in everyday settings has not been established.

    Clinical and mechanistic responses to a music-based intervention for pain in adults with irritable bowel syndrome: Protocol for a single-arm pilot study · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the role of rumination, cognitive and psychological flexibility, as well as subjective well-being in reducing the quality of life in this pathology in adolescents has not been studied enough.

    Psychological predictors of reduced quality of life in adolescents with gastroenterological pathology · 2026 · DOI

  • However, its therapeutic effects on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

    The Traditional Medicine Gamisoyosan Mitigates IBS Symptoms by Regulating Inflammatory and Pain Mechanisms · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and explore the long-term effects of the complete formulation combination. Research on the mechanisms by which the complete formulation combination improves QoL is necessary. Studies with larger sample sizes and diverse populations are required.

    Effects of a polyphenol-rich extract blend, probiotics, and hydrolyzed fiber on quality of life and gut health markers in patients with irritable bowel syndrome—A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial · 2025 · DOI

  • The relationship between comorbid constipation and survival rates in heart failure patients remains unclear. There is a lack of studies investigating the effect of constipation on the prognosis of patients with heart failure.

    Impact of comorbid constipation on the survival of patients with heart failure: a multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in Japan · 2025 · DOI

  • Although the causal link between constipation and decreased survival remains unclear, identifying comorbid constipation is essential for identifying heart failure patients at a higher risk of poor outcomes.

    Impact of comorbid constipation on the survival of patients with heart failure: a multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in Japan · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the microbiota composition associated with FC and the mechanisms by which metabolites influence gut motility remain poorly understood.

    Correlation of the intestinal flora and its metabolites with the colonic transport function in functional constipation · 2025 · DOI

  • Objective Washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though the factors that influence its efficacy remain poorly understood.

    Effects of gastrointestinal symptoms on the efficacy of washed microbiota transplantation in patients with autism · 2025 · DOI

  • However, whether LQYY exerts its effects through gut-brain crosstalk remains to be elucidated.

    Liqi Yangyin formula ameliorates CUMS-induced depression and comorbid constipation via ACE/FFAR2 modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis · 2025 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Gastrointestinal motility and disorders

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253 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 783 Gastrointestinal motility and disorders papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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