VISCERAL PERCEPTION

Role of visceral sensitivity in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome

M Delvaux

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr M Delvaux, Gastroenterology Unit, CHU Rangueil, F-31403 Toulouse Cedex 04, France;
106521.3337{at}compuserve.com

Visceral hypersensitivity has been recognised as a characteristic of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It may be involved in the pathogenesis of abdominal pain/discomfort, and seems to result from the sensitisation of nerve afferent pathways originating from the gastrointestinal tract. From a clinical point of view, hypersensitivity, although frequent, is not a constant finding among patients with IBS and cannot therefore be considered as a diagnostic marker of the condition. The advances made in understanding visceral hypersensitivity in patients with IBS are reviewed: the factors that influence abdominal distension are defined and different therapeutic perspectives are examined.

Keywords: irritable bowel syndrome; pathophysiology; neuromediators; hypervigilance; distension tests

Abbreviations: CNS, central nervous system; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; NTS, nucleus of the tractus solitarius

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