title: A sustained hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to acute psychosocial stress in irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite stress being considered a key factor in the pathophysiology of the functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), there is a paucity of information regarding the ability of IBS patients to respond to acute experimental stress. Insights into the stress response in IBS could open the way to novel therapeutic interventions. To this end, we assessed the response of a range of physiological and psychological parameters to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in IBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen female patients with IBS and 15 healthy female age-matched control participants underwent a single exposure to the TSST. Salivary cortisol, salivary C-reactive protein (CRP), skin conductance level (SCL), GI symptoms, mood and self-reported stress were measured pre- and post-exposure to the TSST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to the TSST was sustained in IBS, as shown by a greater total cortisol output throughout (p = 0.035) and higher cortisol levels measured by an area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCG) analysis (p = 0.044). In IBS patients, GI symptoms increased significantly during the recovery period following exposure to the TSST (p = 0.045). Salivary CRP and SCL activity showed significant changes in relation to stress but with no differential effect between experimental groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with IBS exhibit sustained HPA axis activity, and an increase in problematic GI symptoms in response to acute experimental psychosocial stress. These data pave the way for future interventional studies aimed at identifying novel therapeutic approaches to modulate the HPA axis and GI symptom response to acute psychosocial stress in IBS.
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,University College Cork,Ireland.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Kennedy
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,University College Cork,Ireland.
authors: J F
authors: JF
authors: Cryan
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,University College Cork,Ireland.
authors: E M M
authors: EM
authors: Quigley
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,University College Cork,Ireland.
authors: T G
authors: TG
authors: Dinan
authors: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,University College Cork,Ireland.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult