Childhood stress increases the risk of gastrointestinal diseases in adulthood. This conclusion was reached by scientists from New York University. Gastroenterology reports this.
Researchers analyzed data from over 50,000 American children, comparing their family history with gastrointestinal diseases. It was found that early stress, including that experienced before birth, affects the connection between the brain and the gut and alters the functioning of the nervous system that controls digestion.
Children whose mothers experienced depression during pregnancy or after childbirth were more likely to face digestive issues. A similar pattern emerged in another study: stressful situations in childhood were linked to gastrointestinal complaints by the age of nine to ten.
Experiments on mice confirmed that different gastrointestinal problems (pain or slowed bowel function) arise from various biological processes. Therefore, for effective disease prevention, it is important to consider not only the symptoms but also the stress experienced in childhood.
