Stress at an early age can lead to digestive problems

Disruption of signal transmission in this system leads to the development of irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, and motor disorders such as constipation or diarrhea. The study highlights the continuous interaction between the intestinal nervous system and the brain, and how pathological changes in one system inevitably affect the other.

In their experiments on mouse models, the researchers simulated early stress by separating newborn mice from their mothers on a daily basis. As the mice reached adulthood, they exhibited increased anxiety, visceral pain, and impaired peristaltic movements.

The study revealed specific differences in symptomatology depending on gender: in females, stress caused a tendency towards diarrhea, while in males, constipation prevailed. Additional analysis showed that different biological pathways are responsible for different symptoms. It was found that blocking sympathetic signals in the intestine eliminates problems with motility, but does not affect the pain syndrome. At the same time, serotonin-based pathways have an impact on both the intensity of pain and the speed of the contents moving through the intestine.

The findings from the laboratory models were confirmed by the analysis of data from two large population studies:

• Danish study (more than 40,000 children): Scientists analyzed the health of children under the age of 15. It was found that untreated maternal depression during pregnancy or after childbirth significantly increases the risk of colic, functional constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome in the child.
• American ABCD study (about 12,000 children): Analysis of data from children aged 9-10 years showed a direct correlation between the number of adverse factors in early childhood (abuse, neglect of the child’s needs, and mental illness in parents) and the frequency of gastrointestinal complaints.

The researchers noted that in the human population, unlike in mouse models, there were no statistically significant differences in the types of digestive disorders between boys and girls. This indicates that stress has a negative impact on gut health at critical stages of development, regardless of gender.

The authors of the study emphasize the need for a change in the approach to the diagnosis of gastroenterological diseases. When collecting medical history, it is recommended that doctors consider not only the current psychological state of the patient, but also their early development history.

It has been established that the absence of treatment for maternal depression has a more severe impact on the child’s health compared to the use of antidepressants during pregnancy. Scientists emphasize the importance of timely therapy for pregnant women and are working on creating new-generation drugs that do not cross the placental barrier. Since different neural pathways are responsible for various symptoms, the treatment of intestinal-brain disorders should be targeted and based on the specific mechanisms of disease development in each patient.