# environment - learned from parents



## Guest (Nov 3, 2001)

I'm posting here rather than in news as there are studies on both sides and the books aren't closed on the question, but interesting.tom Irritable Bowel Syndrome Influenced By Environment As Well As HeredityOctober 31, 2001WESTPORT (Reuters Health) - What individuals learn from those in their environment has at least as much influence on the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as heredity, according to the results of a population-based twin study. Questionnaires on the occurrence of more than 80 health problems were mailed to twins born in Virginia between 1915 and 1980. According to Dr. Rona L. Levy, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and associates, respondents included 10,699 twins from 6060 twin pairs. There were 117 monozygotic twin pairs and 164 dizygotic twin pairs in which at least one twin reported having IBS. Heredity is one factor that affects IBS prevalence, the authors report in the October issue of Gastroenterology. For example, the base rate of IBS was 2.6% in all twins, 6.7% in dizygotic twins whose co-twins had IBS, and 13.7% in monozygotic twins whose co-twins had IBS. The differences between monozygotic and dizygotic twins are consistent with a genetic effect, the investigators state. Dr. Levy's group found there was a significantly greater probability that a twin would have a mother with IBS than have a co-twin with IBS (p < 0.001. "Having a mother with IBS accounts for as much variance as having an identical set of genes with a co-twin who has IBS, suggesting that the contribution of social learning to IBS is at least as great as the contribution of heredity," the investigators write. "With any treatment for IBS, it's very important that in addition to addressing the physiological aspects that one also addresses the environmental and social aspects of how someone responds to symptoms," Dr. Levy told Reuters Health. "Otherwise, even the best medicines in the world will have only limited effectiveness."" She pointed out that many treatment programs focus on having the patients attempt to manage their symptoms more effectively. Specifically, she recommends training in such areas as relaxation, time management skills, and better pain management strategies. Dr. Levy believes that her recommendations could be applied to other disorders in which there is a strong social learning component, such as low back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and headaches. Gastroenterology 2001;121:799-804. Reuters content is the intellectual property of Reuters Limited. Any copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters, the Reuters Dotted Logo and the sphere Logo are registered trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world. Mission Statement Gastroenterology News Gastroenterology Articles Grand Rounds Gastroenterology Associations Journals Conference Schedules IPN Home -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HON CodeInteliHealth subscribes to the HONcode principles of the Health On the Net Foundation. Help | About Us | Change Profile | Contact Us | Press Room | Advertising |Consumer Network ï¿½1996-2001 InteliHealth, Inc. All rights reserved. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen. Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions. We subscribe to the HONcode principles of the Health On the Net Foundation. "InteliHealth" and "The Trusted Source" are trademarks of InteliHealth Inc.


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