Research progress of inflammatory bowel disease complicated by depression and anxiety and the comorbid mechanisms

VernacularTitle:炎症性肠病合并抑郁、焦虑及其共病机制的研究进展
Author: Zhifeng WU ¹ ; Xu CAI ; Xiya JIN ; Tao LIU
Author Information

1. 南昌大学第一附属医院儿科，南昌　330006
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease; Depression; Anxiety; Animal model; Brain-gut axis
From: Chinese Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2025;09(6):492-498
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic recurrent inflammatory bowel disease, is associated with depression and anxiety. Intestinal inflammation increases susceptibility to psychiatric disorders through a multidimensional network of immune-inflammatory, neuroendocrine, intestinal flora, and intestinal barrier abnormalities. Conversely, psychiatric stress exacerbates the pathology of IBD through immune regulation, intestinal barrier disruption, and microenvironmental alterations. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms of comorbidity between IBD and depression and anxiety to optimise clinical management. This article reviews the comorbid mechanisms of IBD and depression and anxiety from the perspectives of immune-inflammatory axis, intestinal flora-metabolic pathway, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and neuroendocrine regulation in the context of rodent models, and explore potential intervention strategies, with the aim of providing new ideas and targets for therapeutic and transformation research in this field.