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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 28, 2014; 20(24): 7570-7586
Published online Jun 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i24.7570
Published online Jun 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i24.7570
Role of negative affects in pathophysiology and clinical expression of irritable bowel syndrome
Maria Rosaria A Muscatello, Antonio Bruno, Giuseppe Scimeca, Gianluca Pandolfo, Rocco A Zoccali, Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Author contributions: Muscatello MRA contributed to the literature search, manuscript writing, and final revision; Bruno A suggested topics to be included and contributed to the writing of the manuscript; Scimeca G managed the literature search and contributed to the writing; Pandolfo G contributed to the literature search and writing of the manuscript; Zoccali RA contributed to the study idea, manuscript writing and final revision of the article.
Correspondence to: Rocco A Zoccali, Professor, Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Messina, Via Consolare Pompea, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy. rocco.zoccali@unime.it
Telephone: +39-90-2212092 Fax: +39-90-695136
Received: September 28, 2013
Revised: January 18, 2014
Accepted: April 2, 2014
Published online: June 28, 2014
Revised: January 18, 2014
Accepted: April 2, 2014
Published online: June 28, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: This review deals with the role of negative affects in pathophysiology and clinical expression of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Depression, anxiety, and anger play a key role in dysregulation of the brain-gut axis, contributing to the majority of pathophysiological and symptomatic correlates of IBS. Research efforts to integrate different knowledge provide further insight into the pathways linking negative psychological states to health and disease, leading to identification of individual vulnerability and susceptibility factors, including subsyndromal conditions, which should be addressed to promote better health in the population and more effective and efficient prevention and treatment of IBS.