Functional dyspepsia: recent advances in pathophysiology

Abstract

Functional (non-ulcer) dyspepsia is a common disease. With effective treatment now available for peptic ulcer; functional dyspepsia remains a major therapeutic challenge in gastrointestinal medicine. Despite advances in technology and diagnostic methods, the 'true' underlying pathogenic abnormality in this disease remains elusive. It is likely that functional dyspepsia is a heterogeneous disorder with multiple aetiological factors. In this article various pathophysiological abnormalities in functional dyspepsia are discussed, and possible aetiological mechanisms proposed.