Editorial
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2013; 19(26): 4099-4105
Published online Jul 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i26.4099
Cellular and molecular basis of chronic constipation: Taking the functional/idiopathic label out
Gabrio Bassotti, Vincenzo Villanacci, Dragos Creƫoiu, Sanda Maria Creƫoiu, Gabriel Becheanu
Gabrio Bassotti, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy
Vincenzo Villanacci, Second Pathology Section, Spedali Civili, 25100 Brescia, Italy
Dragos Creƫoiu, Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Morphological Sciences, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Dragos Creƫoiu, Department of Molecular Medicine, “Victor Babeş” National Institute of Pathology, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Sanda Maria Creƫoiu, Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Morphological Sciences, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Sanda Maria Creƫoiu, Department of Ultrastructural Pathology, “Victor Babeş” National Institute of Pathology, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Gabriel Becheanu, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Author contributions: Bassotti G ideated the project and wrote the first draft; Villanacci V, Creƫoiu D, Creƫoiu SM and Becheanu G critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content; all authors approved the final draft of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Gabrio Bassotti, Professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia, Piazzale Menghini 1, 06156 Perugia, Italy. gabassot@tin.it
Telephone: +39-75-5784423 Fax: +39-75-5847570
Received: December 6, 2012
Revised: May 16, 2013
Accepted: May 18, 2013
Published online: July 14, 2013
Processing time: 219 Days and 0.6 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Concerning gut motility, in the last years the basic/clinical interplay between gastroenterology and neurology has become stricter, and many pathologic conditions, among which constipation, related to abnormal gastrointestinal motility are now considered and studied by a neurogastroenterological point of view. However, the fact that these conditions are still labelled as “functional” or “idiopathic” is puzzling. We examined the evidence for taking these labels out from constipation, that should be considered as a true neurenteric dysfunction.