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. 2024 Nov 19;60(11):1895.
doi: 10.3390/medicina60111895.

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Takahiko Nagamine  1   2
Affiliations

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Takahiko Nagamine. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) represents the most prevalent disorder of brain-gut interaction, affecting approximately 10% of the global population. The objective of this study was to examine the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota contributes to the development of IBS. To this end, a review of articles that examined the gut microbiota of IBS patients was conducted. A search was conducted using PubMed and J-STAGE for articles published over the past five years that relate to the gut microbiota in patients with IBS. Individuals diagnosed with IBS display a reduction in alpha diversity and a decline in butyrate-producing bacteria, which collectively indicate a state of dysbiosis within their gut microbiota. Butyrate plays a dual role in the body, acting as a source of nutrition for the intestinal epithelium while also regulating the expression of dopamine transporters and D2 receptors in the central nervous system through epigenetic mechanisms. These characteristics may be linked to dysfunction of the central dopamine D2 pathway and play a role in the formation of various symptoms in IBS.

Keywords: brain–gut-microbiota axis; butyrate-producing bacteria; depression; dopamine; dysbiosis; irritable bowel syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram for the review, which included searches of databases and registers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A schematic diagram of the interaction of the gut microbiota, genetic factors, and environmental factors in the development of irritable bowel syndrome.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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