Cognitive Impairment in IBS: A Narrative Overview

Abstract

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life and the healthcare system. Beyond well-established symptoms such as recurrent abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, emerging evidence highlights a crucial yet underexplored aspect of cognitive dysfunction in patients suffering from IBS. This review aims to investigate the potential mechanisms linking IBS to cognitive dysfunction, emphasizing the role of the gut-brain axis and its biological and psychosocial determinants. A literature review was conducted using major medical databases, including Pubmed and Scopus, to identify relevant studies published in the last decade, focusing on clinical and experimental research assessing cognitive impairment in IBS patients. The review underscores the need for increased clinical recognition of cognitive dysfunction in IBS by highlighting the cognitive dysfunction in IBS patients with a focus on pathogenesis from disturbances in gut microbiota, inflammation, altered neurotransmitter levels, and psychological stress with various treatment modalities targeting these pathways, including probiotics, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and pharmacological interventions, showing promising results in mitigating cognitive symptoms.