title: Current insights in to the pathophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
abstract: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) represents a functional disorder of gastrointestinal tract without the presence of an anatomic defect, in which abdominal pain is relieved with defecation and is associated with altered bowel habits.IBS includes a wide range of symptoms while its pathophysiology is very complicated. Recent studies indicate that the most important mechanisms include visceral sensitivity, abnormal gut motility and autonomous nervous system dysfunction. The interactions between these three mechanisms make bowel's function susceptible to many exogenous and endogenous factors like gastrointestinal flora, feeding and psychosocial factors. Recent data indicate that according to the above mechanisms, the influence of genetic factors and polymorphisms of human DNA in the development of IBS is equally important.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, University of Athens, School of Medicine and Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karantanos
authors.affiliation: 2nd Gastroenterology Department, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theofano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Markoutsaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, University of Athens, School of Medicine and Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazouli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, University of Athens, School of Medicine and Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nicholas P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Anagnou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Gastroenterology Department, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Karamanolis
references.citation: Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2008 May;20(5):498-504
references.pmid: 18248583
references.citation: Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2001 Nov;281(5):G1203-13
references.pmid: 11668029
references.citation: Gut. 2003 Dec;52(12):1703-7
references.pmid: 14633946
references.citation: Pulm Pharmacol. 1995 Aug-Oct;8(4-5):161-7
references.pmid: 8782269
references.citation: Curr Top Med Chem. 2006;6(18):1987-96
references.pmid: 17017969
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 2006 Dec;51(12):2121-7
references.pmid: 17080247
references.citation: Pharmacol Toxicol. 2003 Mar;92(3):105-13
references.pmid: 12753424
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Sep;96(9):2671-6
references.pmid: 11569693
references.citation: Chemotherapy. 2005;51 Suppl 1:1-22
references.pmid: 15855746
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2006 May 14;12(18):2830-8
references.pmid: 16718806
references.citation: Br J Pharmacol. 2004 Apr;141(8):1321-30
references.pmid: 15100165
references.citation: Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2006 Nov;22(6):669-73
references.pmid: 17053447
references.citation: Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2005 Nov;21(6):708-11
references.pmid: 16220050
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1994 Apr;106(4):945-50
references.pmid: 8143999
references.citation: Eur J Pain. 2004 Oct;8(5):451-63
references.pmid: 15324776
references.citation: Prog Neurobiol. 1999 Jan;57(1):1-164
references.pmid: 9987804
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1994 Jul;107(1):271-93
references.pmid: 8020671
references.citation: Gut. 1986 Jan;27(1):37-40
references.pmid: 3949235
references.citation: Gut. 2004 Oct;53(10):1452-8
references.pmid: 15361494
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1997 May;112(5):1714-43
references.pmid: 9136853
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1992 Jun;6(3):273-89
references.pmid: 1600046
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Mar;100(3):652-63
references.pmid: 15743365
references.citation: J Gastroenterol. 2007 Jan;42 Suppl 17:41-7
references.pmid: 17238025
references.citation: Can J Gastroenterol. 1999 Mar;13 Suppl A:71A-75A
references.pmid: 10202212
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Feb;96(2):460-6
references.pmid: 11232691
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1998 Aug;115(2):370-80
references.pmid: 9679042
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2003 Jun;124(7):1738-47
references.pmid: 12806606
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1996 Apr 25;334(17):1106-15
references.pmid: 8598871
references.citation: Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Nov;3(11):1057-65
references.pmid: 16271334
references.citation: Pain. 1989 May;37(2):143-160
references.pmid: 2664663
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 1998 Aug;93(8):1311-7
references.pmid: 9707057
references.citation: J Physiol. 2004 Apr 1;556(Pt 1):221-34
references.pmid: 14755002
references.citation: Gut. 2004 Jun;53(6):829-37
references.pmid: 15138209
references.citation: Pharmacology. 1994 Jan;48(1):1-10
references.pmid: 8309982
references.citation: Gut. 2002 Jul;51 Suppl 1:i19-23
references.pmid: 12077058
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000;915:77-80
references.pmid: 11193603
references.citation: Br J Pharmacol. 1990 Jul;100(3):497-501
references.pmid: 2167734
references.citation: Pharmacol Rev. 2000 Dec;52(4):595-638
references.pmid: 11121511
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 2007 Nov;52(11):2942-9
references.pmid: 17394071
references.citation: Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2006 Aug;8(4):305-11
references.pmid: 16836942
references.citation: Gut. 2006 Dec;55(12):1754-9
references.pmid: 17008364
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2001 Oct;121(4):799-804
references.pmid: 11606493
references.citation: Neuroscience. 1990;38(1):13-20
references.pmid: 2147742
references.citation: Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1991;31:129-62
references.pmid: 2064371
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Nov;100(11):2510-6
references.pmid: 16279907
references.citation: Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2008 Aug;12 Suppl 1:111-7
references.pmid: 18924450
references.citation: Brain Res. 2009 Jan 9;1247:79-91
references.pmid: 18955037
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 1990 Apr;35(4):477-80
references.pmid: 2138532
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Oct;95(10):2816-24
references.pmid: 11051354
references.citation: J Clin Gastroenterol. 2009 Nov-Dec;43(10):957-61
references.pmid: 19687750
references.citation: News Physiol Sci. 2003 Jun;18:109-14
references.pmid: 12750446
references.citation: Baillieres Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 1999 Oct;13(3):429-36
references.pmid: 10580919
references.citation: Nutr Clin Pract. 2008 Jun-Jul;23(3):263-7
references.pmid: 18595858
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Jun 1;25(11):1343-50
references.pmid: 17509102
references.citation: Science. 2000 Jun 9;288(5472):1769-72
references.pmid: 10846154
references.citation: J Clin Gastroenterol. 2009 Mar;43(3):214-20
references.pmid: 19623100
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 21;14(43):6636-40
references.pmid: 19034965
references.citation: J Nutr Biochem. 2002 Apr;13(4):190-199
references.pmid: 11988401
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000 Jan;14(1):23-34
references.pmid: 10632642
references.citation: Gut. 2005 Oct;54(10):1396-401
references.pmid: 15923667
references.citation: Inflamm Res. 1995 Oct;44(10):407-11
references.pmid: 8564515
references.citation: J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1998 Oct;13(10):980-9
references.pmid: 9835312
references.citation: Dig Liver Dis. 2009 Nov;41(11):772-80
references.pmid: 19665952
references.citation: Orv Hetil. 2008 Nov 2;149(44):2079-86
references.pmid: 18952527
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 Mar;94(3):816-23
references.pmid: 10086672
references.citation: Hosp Pract (1995). 1999 Jul 15;34(7):31-2, 35-8, 41-2 passim
references.pmid: 10418549