Mucosal Inflamation & Emotional Stress

Gastrointestinal infection with its consequent mucosal inflammation seems to play a role in the etiology of IBS in a subset of patients, although there is some doubt that this condition is of real importance. Recent observations suggest that substantially less than 25% of patients develop "Post-infectious" IBS.

Nonetheless, recent research has identified abnormalities in immune function in a subset of patients with IBS. Most patients who develop IBS after an Enteric infection will suffer with diarrhea-predominant symptomatology. In such patients, abnormalities in intestinal permeability, gut transit and the numbers and function of immune cells have been proposed. It is likely that post-infectious IBS is one of many disorders that lead to chronic inflammation of the GI tract causing symptoms suggestive of IBS.

 Emotional Stress:

The role of emotional stress as an etiologic factor in IBS may also be inferred from the effects of psychological therapies on IBS symptoms. Indeed psychosocial stress alters GI motor fuction and sensation.

Emotional Stress can exacerbate GI symptoms in patients who have functional GI disorders. Anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders can be identified in approximately 40% of patients who have IBS in referral practices.