title: Is there a causal link between psychological disorders and functional gastrointestinal disorders?
abstract: Psychological disorders, most notably anxiety and depressive disorders, somatization and catastrophizing, often precede or exacerbate functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) symptoms and correlate with symptom severity and health outcomes. Mounting evidence shows that psychological distress alters gut immunity, in particular mast cell activation, leading to a potentiation of sensory nerves and aberrant visceral pain perception. On the other hand, psychological stressors modulate the processing of incoming sensory signals by the brain, thereby contributing to FGID symptom development. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-induced changes in the immune system or brain processing is crucial for the development of novel beneficial therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Center of Neuroimmune interaction and Mucosal Immunology , University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Center of Neuroimmune interaction and Mucosal Immunology , University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Boeckxstaens
mesh_terms: D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology
keywords: Anxiety; depression; functional dyspepsia; irritable bowel syndrome; psychological disorder