The putative role of the intestinal microbiota in the irritable bowel syndrome

Conceptual framework for the role of the microbiota in IBS. Established risk factors for IBS are known to alter the bacterial composition of the gut. Experimental evidence cited in this paper indicates that perturbation of the microbiota can result in low grade inflammation and perturb gut function [51]. In addition, changes in the bacterial composition of the gut lead to altered behavior [59]. Taken together, we propose that these responses could contribute to both gastrointestinal dysfunction and the psychiatric co-morbidity that occurs in IBS patients.