Functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders (FGD) are among the most common GI disorders in the general population. Estimates vary, but about 1 in 4 people or more in the US have one of these disorders. The conditions account for about 40% of GI problems seen by doctors and therapists.

The term "functional" is generally applied to disorders where the body's normal activities in terms of the movement of the intestines, the sensitivity of the nerves of the intestines, or the way in which the brain controls some of these functions are impaired. However, there are no structural abnormalities that can be seen by endoscopy, x-ray, or blood tests. Thus it is identified by the characteristics of the symptoms and infrequently, when needed, limited tests. The Rome diagnostic criteria categorize the functional gastrointestinal disorders and define symptom based diagnostic criteria for each category. Recently, attention is paid on not only the intestinal microbiota and their role in pathogenesis but also the therapy of FGD. Functional gastrointestinal disorders cover a wide range of different impairments. We suggest to focus on functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders, as the file rouge of the issue, and to avoid the trap of extensiveness, if too many subjects from FGD palette are considered.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the functional gastrointestinal disorders, particularly functional gastroduodenal disorders and functional bowel disorders. Please, use the Rome III diagnostic criteria for the classification. We are particularly interested in articles describing the new modalities for clinical evaluation in the functional gastrointestinal disorders, influences of brain gut axis to the functional disorders development, roles of intestinal microbiota in FGD pathogenesis and therapy, novelties in diagnostics and therapy, and other approaches to the mentioned problem.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Epidemiology:
  • Functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders in general population
  • Functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders in pediatric population
• Etiology:
  • Embryonic development of gut and possible developmental factors influencing the genesis of the functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders
  • Intrauterine factors' influence on the functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders appearance
  • Extraintestinal manifestations of functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders (functional headache, chronic pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, irritable bladder syndrome, etc.)
• Pathology:
  • The enteric nervous system and its role in pathogenesis of FGD
  • Psychosocial factors in FGD pathogenesis
  • Postinflammatory sequelae and FGD (postinflammatory diarrhea, for example)
• Diagnosis:
  • Diagnostic procedures in functional gastrointestinal disorders (endoscopy, ultrasonography, electrogastrography, manometry, etc.)
  • Functional MRI approach to the problem of functional gastroduodenal and functional bowel disorders
  • Specificities of the FGD diagnostics in pediatric population
• Treatment:
  • Gastrointestinal microbiota and FGD
  • New possibilities in functional disorders therapy
  • Immunological approaches to FGD
  • Nutritional concept of the FGD treatment
  • Psychotherapy in FGD. Cognitive behavior and hypnotherapy
  • Guidelines, ambiguities, and pitfalls of the FGD therapy in pediatric patients