Gerald Libby
Professor Gerald Libby trained and qualified at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Medical College in 1967. Whilst Registrar in the Department of Psychiatry, Professor Libby became interested in the brain-gut axis. He was adopted by the Department of Gastroenterology and began a career-long interest in patients with gastrointestinal problems. He participated in many clinical research projects and recruited Jennifer Gomborone, a Clinical Psychologist, to join him. That collaboration continues and, with Professor Michael Farthing and his team, they have published widely. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Psychiatrists, and a member of the British Society of Gastroenterology. He estimates that he has seen in the region of 3,000 patients with functional gastrointestinal problems from all parts of the world.
His liaison psychiatry special interests include vestibular disorders and fatigue states in addition to psychoneurogastroenterology. He heads an inpatient facility, if needed, for such problems, but this is not currently within this NHS Trust. He is enthusiastically supported by a team of Honorary Research Fellows.
Research interests:
- The use of psychopharmacological interventions in treatment resistant affective disorders that present with somatic symptoms
- The use of innovative cognitive behavioural interventions in functional disorders
Publications:
Key publications:
Castle MZD, Silk DBA, Libby GW. Review article: 'The rationale for antidepressant therapy in functional gastrointestinal disorders'. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2004; v 19: pp 1-11.
Gorard DA, Gomborone JE, Libby GW, Farthing MJG. 'Intestinal transit times in anxiety and depression'. Gut 1996; v 39: pp 551-55.
Gomborone J, Dewsnap P, Libby G, Farthing M. 'Abnormal illness attitudes in irritable bowel syndrome' J Psychosom Res 1995; v 39: pp 227-30.
Gomborone JE, Dewsnap PA, Libby GW, Farthing MJG. 'Selective affective biasing in recognition memory in the irritable bowel syndrome'. Gut 1993; v 34: pp 1230-33.
Kumar D, Thompson PD, Wingate DL, Vesselinova-Jenkins CK, Libby GW. 'Abnormal REM sleep in the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology 1992; v 103: pp 12-17.
