Presentation Description / Summary: Gastric motility and emotional states are connected through a complex interaction of the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Stress hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines can contribute to increased gut permeability, dysbiosis, and visceral hypersensitivity. Depression and anxiety are highly correlated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other disorders of gut-brain interaction in humans. Although strong empirical data is currently lacking in veterinary patients, addressing anxiety and stress is also likely to improve treatments for GI motility disorders in cats and dogs.
Learning Objectives:
Describe the basic components of the gut-brain axis
Describe the pathophysiology of stress-related gastric dysfunction
Describe a basic treatment plan to address stress and anxiety in veterinary patients suffering from functional gastrointestinal diseases
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