Dr. Kevin Olden, professor of internal medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recently awarded a $55,000 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of this research is to search for additional treatments for indigestion, a condition which affects an estimated 20 percent of Americans. The NIH award will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of antidepressants for the treatment of indigestion.

Dr. Kevin Olden

This study will provide the first controlled data on the efficiency of antidepressants and will be the first data on clinical, physiological and genetic factors that may predict a beneficial effect of this type of therapy.

Olden, a gastroenterologist, specializes in digestive disorders, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and lactose intolerance. His research interests are functional bowel and gastrointestinal motility disorders. This research project is a reflection of Olden’s diverse medical interests in the close relationship between mental and physical health. Olden is board certified in both gastroenterology and psychiatry.