Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder, now understood as a disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits in the absence of structural or biochemical abnormalities that explain the symptoms. It is dia…
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder, now understood as a disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits in the absence of structural or biochemical abnormalities that explain the symptoms. It is diagnosed clinically using symptom-based criteria and is subclassified by predominant stool pattern into diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant, and mixed forms. Its pathophysiology is multifactorial, involving visceral hypersensitivity, dysmotility, altered intestinal permeability, low-grade immune activation, disturbances of the gut microbiota, and dysregulation of bidirectional signaling along the gut-brain axis, with psychological stress frequently modulating symptom severity. Although IBS does not cause progressive structural damage or increase the risk of more serious disease, it substantially impairs quality of life. Management is individualized and centers on symptom relief through dietary modification, pharmacological agents targeting motility and pain, microbiota-directed approaches, and psychological and stress-reduction therapies. Within the associated literature, gastrointestinal themes include surgical correction of digestive-system reflux disease and clinical gastroenterological manifestations, an elemental diet in children with gastrointestinal disease, and experimental models of intestinal inflammation such as chemically induced colitis. Because functional bowel symptoms overlap with other conditions, careful clinical evaluation is essential. This journal publishes peer-reviewed research relevant to functional and inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders, including the mechanisms and management of irritable bowel syndrome.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 34 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Irritable Bowel Syndrome, linking to each citing work.