Detection and Evaluation Methods of Visceral Sensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a Review of the Latest Developments

Abstract

Visceral hypersensitivity is one major pathophysiological characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) , a common functional bowel disorder. The detection and evaluation of visceral hypersensitivity are of practical significance for the guidance of clinical diagnosis and treatment of IBS. We reviewed the latest studies on the detection and evaluation methods of visceral hypersensitivity mediated by both peripheral and central factors in IBS patients and animal models, and found some limitations in these studies such as monotonous evaluation methods, and limited applications of the methods. The possible applications of these methods in both animal experiments and clinical trials can be explored in future researches.

Keywords

• irritable bowel syndrome|visceral sensitivity|colonic sensation|peripheral sensitization|central sensitization|evaluating indicator|literature review