The small intestine and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a batch process model.

ABSTRACT

Faults in a batch process model of the small intestine create the symptoms of all types of irritable bowel syndrome. The model has three sequential processing sections corresponding to the natural divisions of the intestine. It is governed by a brain controller that is divided into four sub-controllers, each with a unique neurotransmitter. Each section has a sub-controller to manage transport. Sensors in the walls of the intestine provide input and output goes to the muscles lining the walls of the intestine. The output controls the speed of the food soup, moves it in both directions, mixes it, controls absorption, and transfers it to the next section at the correct speed (slow). The fourth sub-controller manages the addition of chemicals. It obtains input from the first section of the process via the signalling hormone Cholecystokinin and sends output to the muscles that empty the gall bladder and pancreas. The correct amounts of bile salts and enzymes are then added to the first section. The sub-controllers produce output only when input is received. When output is missing the enteric nervous system applies a default condition. This default condition normally happens when no food is in the intestine. If food is in the intestine and a transport sub-controller fails to provide output then the default condition moves the food soup to the end of that section. The movement is in one direction only (forward), at a speed dependent on the amount and type of fibre present. Cereal, bean and vegetable fibre causes high speeds. This default high speed transport causes irritable bowel syndrome. A barrier is created when a section moving fast at the default speed, precedes a section controlled by a transport sub-controller. Then the sub-controller constricts the intestine to stop the fast flow. The barrier causes constipation, cramping, and bloating. Diarrhoea results when the section terminating the process moves at the fast default speed. Two problems can occur to prevent output from the sub-controllers. The first is a deficiency of one or more of the four neurotransmitters. The second is the destruction of sensors in the walls of the intestine by a toxic insult. A wide variety of symptoms can occur and their nature depends on which sub-controller (or combination of sub-controllers) is faulty, or which part(s) of the intestine are damaged.