Mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and eating disorders, are more common in people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a study published in January 2023 in theIrish Journal of Medical Science.
Irritable bowel syndrome (or irritable bowel syndrome) is a chronic disorder of the stomach and intestines that affects up to 15% of the population.
It causes cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
Zahid Ijaz Tarar of the University of Missouri (USA) and his colleagues analyzed more than 1.2 million hospitalizations of people suffering from IBS in 4,000 American hospitals over a three-year period.
Of these, 478,515 (38.1%) presented with anxiety and 344,165 (27.4%) with depression.
The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was higher in people with IBS than in the general population: anxiety (38.1% versus 15.1%), depression (38.1% versus 15.1%), bipolar disorder (5 .22% vs. 2.38%) and eating disorders (0.32% vs. 0.08%).
« One possible explanation is the so-called brain-gut axis.
“, explains the researcher. “We have long suspected that brain-gut axis dysfunction is bidirectional, such that IBS symptoms influence anxiety and depression and, on the other hand, psychiatric factors cause IBS symptoms.
»
« It is also known that chronic diseases like IBS are associated with stress, inability to work and the resulting economic burdens on patients and their families.
»
« The membrane of the mesentery that holds the intestines together contains one of the highest concentrations of nerve cells in the body. When these nerves start pulsing, it can lead to a nervous state in and around the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in the symptoms of IBS
“, explains Yezaz Ghouri, professor of gastroenterology, co-author.
For more information, see the links below.
Psychomedia with sources: University of Missouri, Irish Journal of Medical Science.
All rights reserved.
