title: Enteric neuropathies: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
abstract: Enteric neuropathy is a term indicating an impairment of the innervation supplying the gastrointestinal tract. The clinical phenotypes of the enteric neuropathies are the 'tip of the iceberg' of severe functional digestive diseases, such as intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndromes (e.g., chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction). Despite progress acquired over the years, the pathogenetic mechanisms leading to enteric neuropathies are still far from being elucidated and the therapeutic approaches to these patients are mainly supportive, rather than curative.The purpose of this chapter is to review the advancements that have been done in the knowledge of enteric neuropathies identified in adult patients ('tomorrow'), going through where we currently are ('today') following a brief history of the major milestones on the pioneering discoveries in the field ('yesterday').
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy. roberto.degiorgio@unibo.it.|Centro di Ricerca Biomedica Applicata (C.R.B.A.), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. roberto.degiorgio@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Giorgio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy.|Department of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy.|Centro di Ricerca Biomedica Applicata (C.R.B.A.), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clavenzani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonora
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007418:Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*