A Review on the Effect of Stress on the Incidence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Medical Students

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) represents a significant challenge to public health with high prevalence as it affects 9% to 23% of the world's population. IBS is a stresssensitive disorder characterized by chronic pain associated with altered bowel motility. This article aimed to investigate the effect of stress on IBS among medical students. Method: This article is a review article by studying scientific databases of google scholar, PubMed, Scopus with keywords Irritable bowel syndrome stress, medical students from 2016 to 2019. Findings: The effects of stress on gut function include changes in gastrointestinal motility and secretion, an increase in visceral perception and intestinal permeability, and a negative effect on intestinal microbiota. Changes in the bidirectional interaction between the gut and the nervous system (brain-gut axis) play an essential role in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome. Stress can cause IBS in individuals by affecting the function of this axis. The stressful environment of medical school and the stresses caused by the educational process of this field on medical students cause adverse effects on the performance and quality of life of these students. One of the effects on the gastrointestinal tract is the onset of IBS and exacerbation of its symptoms. Management and control of IBS are based on drug therapy andbehavioral-psychological therapies. Some drug treatments include melatonin with a protective effect against stress-induced alterations in gastrointestinal, antidepressants, and gastrointestinal antipsychotics. Conclusion: Due to the widespread impact of stress on IBS, control and treatment should be based on managing stress through psychological approach and counseling treatments to control stress for students in this field.

کلیدواژه ها:

Irritable bowel syndrome ، Stress ، Medical students