Mind-Gut Connection: The Psychosomatic Effects of Stress and Emotions on Digestive System

Year : 2025 | Volume : 15 | Issue : 01 | Page : 11 14
    By

    Mohsina,

  • Abdul Malik,

  • Mohd Abu Bakar Qadri,

  • Md Imran Khan,

  1. PG Scholar, Department of Tashreeh ul Badan, State Takmeel-ut-Tib College & Hospital, Lucknow, UP, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Tashreeh ul Badan, State Takmeel-ut-Tib College & Hospital, Lucknow, UP, India
  3. Associate Professor & HOD, Department of Tashreeh ul Badan, State Takmeel-ut-Tib College & Hospital, Lucknow, UP, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Tashreeh ul Badan, State Takmeel-ut-Tib College & Hospital, Lucknow, UP, India

Abstract

Stress, understood as an immediate disruption to bodily equilibrium, triggers an adaptive or allostatic response that impacts gastrointestinal function both in the short and long term. The enteric nervous system communicates in both directions with the brain through parasympathetic and sympathetic pathways, collectively forming what is known as the brain-gut axis. Unani scholars describe stress as a response to the loss of something valuable, such as an opportunity, a desired substance, or even life itself. It occurs when a person faces the loss of something they deeply desire or when they find themselves in circumstances where they are unable to take action or correct an unfavorable situation. Emotional stress and depression can negatively impact the immune system by affecting its components within both the central and peripheral nervous systems. These effects occur through alterations in key regulators such as neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, neurohormones, and hormones produced by the adrenal glands. When the body experiences stress, it leads to changes in the brain-gut communication system, which can contribute to the onset of various GI disorders. These may include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), other functional GI conditions, adverse reactions to food antigens, peptic ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Symptoms such as stomach pain and diarrhoea are frequently associated with stress. Stress can have significant impacts on gut function, including: changes in the movement and motility of the gastrointestinal tract, heightened sensitivity to sensations in the gut, modifications in the secretion of digestive fluids, increased permeability of the intestinal lining, impaired regenerative processes in the gut lining and reduced blood flow to the mucosa and disruptions to the composition and balance of the gut microbiota.

Keywords: Unani system of medicine, Brain-gut axis, Stress, Gut microbiota, Neurohormones, Neuropeptides.

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews: A Journal of Neuroscience ]

How to cite this article:
Mohsina, Abdul Malik, Mohd Abu Bakar Qadri, Md Imran Khan. Mind-Gut Connection: The Psychosomatic Effects of Stress and Emotions on Digestive System. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Neuroscience. 2025; 15(01):11-14.
How to cite this URL:
Mohsina, Abdul Malik, Mohd Abu Bakar Qadri, Md Imran Khan. Mind-Gut Connection: The Psychosomatic Effects of Stress and Emotions on Digestive System. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Neuroscience. 2025; 15(01):11-14. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjons/article=2025/view=198180


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 15
Issue 01
Received 06/01/2025
Accepted 13/01/2025
Published 13/02/2025
Publication Time 38 Days
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