Objectives
The strategic goal of DISCOvERIE is to provide an enhanced understanding on IBS and comorbidities and their risk factors.
Specific objectives
To provide a thorough clinical and psychosocial characterization of IBS patients affected by mental and non-mental comorbidities. We will look for depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome with a particular focus on age and sex/gender-related differences, and lifestyle (WP2).
To determine mechanisms of intestinal and central nervous system function (WP4) underlying comorbidities in IBS, and their interaction with the peripheral microbiota-gut-brain axis. Specifically, we will look at epithelial barrier function and neuro-immune in the intestine (WP3) and at the neuroendocrine stress system, the function of nociceptive and affective-cognitive neuro-circuits in the brain (WP5).
To unravel disease-specific genetic and epigenetic signatures of comorbid (mental or somatic) and multicomorbid IBS (WP6).
To identify biomarkers specific for prevention, diagnosis and therapy of comorbid and multi-comorbid IBS through integrative data analysis (WP7).
To validate identified biomarkers and pre-commercialize breakthrough diagnostic, predictive and therapeutic tests specific for comorbid and multi comorbid IBS (WP8).
To determine the influence of life-style (sleep, physical activity, nutrition, stress and social interaction) on IBS and comorbidities physiology and behaviour through eHealth monitoring tools (WP9).
To efficiently disseminate and exploit our results within the public and the scientific community (WP10).