# stress and ibs



## Guest (Mar 7, 2001)

this is an abstract of a recent article that explains the role of stress in causing and perpetuating ibs. Basically it says that because of previous mental or physical stress or hypothalamic function, people with ibs may be more prone to over-respond to stress than others.tomStress and the Gastrointestinal TractIV. Modulation of intestinal inflammation by stress: basic mechanisms and clinical relevance Stephen M. Collins McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada The stress response in a healthy organism is generally viewed as a warning and thus a protective reaction to a threat. However, the response may be deleterious if it is linked to an inflammatory stimulus or if it proceeds an inflammatory event. Prior stress enhances the response to an inflammatory stimulus by a mechanism that is independent of the release of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) or arginine vasopressin. Putative mechanisms include an increase in intestinal permeability as well as the release of the proinflammatory neuropeptide substance P. Stress may also reactivate previous inflammation when applied in conjunction with a small luminal stimulus. This reactivation involves increased permeability and requires the presence of T lymphocytes. Inflammatory mediators activate hypothalamic pathways, and a negative feedback loop, mediated by CRF release, has been proposed because animals with impaired hypothalamic CRF responses are more susceptible to inflammatory stimuli. Together, these experimental observations provide insights into the expression of inflammatory disorders in humans, including inflammatory bowel disease and postinfective irritable bowel syndrome. corticotrophin-releasing factor; epithelial permeability; substance P; inflammatory bowel disease; irritable bowel syndrome; infection from the American Journal of Physiology Vol. 280, Issue 3, G315-G318, March 2001


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Tom, there are some more of these I will post, this one however, its also pretty interesting. FYI: Scand J Gastroenterol 2000 Jun;35(6):583-9 Perceptual hyperreactivity to auditory stimuli in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Blomhoff S, Jacobsen MB, Spetalen S, Dahm A, Malt UF Dept. of Psychosomatic and Behavioral Medicine. National Hospital, Oslo, Norway. BACKGROUND: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have abnormal perception of visceral stimuli; however, no study has so far investigated the perception of non-visceral stimuli in IBS. In the present study we used event-related potentials (ERP) to study whether IBS patients differed from healthy controls in processing of auditory stimuli and, if so, how this was influenced by emotions. METHODS: We compared ERPs to auditory stimuli in 40 female diarrhoea-predominant IBS patients without current psychiatric illness with those in 20 healthy controls. Tones were used as standard and target stimuli, and words with emotional content as distractors. Characteristics of the first negative wave (N100) and mean amplitudes in 50-msec time intervals between 150 and 600 msec were assessed. RESULTS: At the frontal midline electrode IBS patients had significantly enhanced N100 amplitude to all stimuli, persisting after adjustment for age, current emotions, and personality traits. They additionally had enhanced waves 200-300 msec and 400-500 msec after stimulus. The latter differences disappeared after adjustment for emotions and personality traits. CONCLUSIONS: In the frontal brain region, IBS patients seem to have a hyperreactivity to auditory stimuli compared with controls. Later elements (P300, N400) of stimulus processing were influenced by emotions and personality traits. These may possibly contribute to changes in intestinal motility caused by stress. The study indicates that aberrant brain functioning may be an element of the irritable bowel syndrome. It may elucidate a mechanism for brain-gut interaction by which psychosocial stress may influence visceral pain perception in non-psychiatric subjects with an intestinal motility disorder and also the efficacy of psychiatric treatment on IBS symptoms. Publication Types: Clinical trial Controlled clinical trial PMID: 10912657 ------------------I work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2001)

very interesting. there are several studies that show braindifferences in the processing of emotions. we're NOT crazy, but may be different.tom


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