Brain-gut interaction in irritable bowel syndrome: New findings of a multicomponent disease model

Knowledge on the pathophysiology of irritable bower syndrome has evolved, b eginning with disturbances in motility to visceral hypersensitivity, and ul timately to alterations in brain-gut bidirectional communication, where neu rotransmitters such as serotonin play a key role. Recently, a multicomponen t disease model that integrates at these alterations was proposed. This mod el is divided into physiological, cognitive, emotional and behavioral compo nents that explain the gastrointestinal as well as the constitutional sympt oms. In recent years there has been an explosion of research together with new developments in pharmacological treatments for IBS that support each co mponent of this model. This review presents recent data in favor of these a lterations in IBS.