The irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the functioning of the intestine without gravity but responsible for a significant discomfort.
To treat irritable bowel syndrome, hypnosis, antidepressants or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapies could be as relevant as treatments focused on the physical, according to a new study.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or functional colopathy, is a disorder of the functioning of the intestine (colon or large intestine), very common, not serious but responsible for significant discomfort. Disorders of bowel function include abdominal pain and bowel dysfunction. It is a common disease that affects about 5% of the French population.
The brain and gut work together
“We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 3 cohorts of patients with irritable bowel syndrome,” explain the researchers. “Allodynia (1) was observed in 36% of patients, hyperalgesia (2) in 22%, acceleration of transit in 18%, slowing of transit in 7%, anxiety in 52% and depression in 24%. Each of these factors was associated with worsening of at least one symptom of irritable bowel syndrome. They conclude: “psychological factors are therefore relevant therapeutic targets”.
Currently, there is no treatment available that cures irritable bowel syndrome, but its symptoms can be relieved. “Hypnosis, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and antidepressants can all have an effect against irritable bowel syndrome. Professor Magnus Simren, study director.
Focus processing on multiple abnormalities at the same time
“We looked at several abnormalities in the nerves that connect the gut and the brain, what’s called the gut-brain axis,” he says. The association was linear: as the number of abnormalities increased, a progressive worsening of symptoms was also observed.
“It is striking how the severity of the disease increases as the patient develops abnormalities. This means that we probably have to concentrate treatment on several of them at the same time to obtain a better effect. “, concludes Magnus Simren.
1) Allodynia is stimulus-triggered pain that is normally painless
2) Hyperalgesia is abnormally increased pain elicited by a painful stimulus.
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