Investigating the Gut–Brain Axis in Adolescents With Mood Disorders and Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Mar 18, 2026Psychiatry investigation

How Gut and Brain Communication Relates to Mood and Digestive Symptoms in Teenagers

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Abstract

Overall, 69.3% of child and adolescent psychiatric outpatients met the for one or more (FGIDs).

Children and adolescents with FGIDs scored higher on suicide ideation, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress compared to those without FGIDs.
Significant differences in psychological scores were observed among groups categorized by FGID subtype, with single and multiple FGID groups showing greater distress than the non-FGID group.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) subtypes were associated with higher anxiety and stress levels compared to the non-FGID group.
The single functional constipation (FC) subtype did not demonstrate significant differences in psychological burden compared to those without FGIDs.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the proportion meeting for (FGIDs) and examine associations with suicide ideation (Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, BSS), depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale for Children, CES-DC), anxiety (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, SCARED), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS) in child and adolescent psychiatric outpatients, including subgroup analyses by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC), and subtype complexity (single vs. multiple).

METHODS: We recruited 137 outpatients aged 12-18 years (2021-2023). FGIDs were classified with the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms-Rome III (QPGS-Rome III). BSS, CES-DC, SCARED, and PSS assessed psychosocial burden. Group differences used standard comparisons (two-sided p<0.05).

RESULTS: Overall, 69.3% met Rome III criteria for ≥1 FGID subtype. Compared with the non-FGID group, the FGID group had higher scores on BSS (p=0.048), CES-DC (p=0.035), SCARED (p<0.001), and PSS (p=0.003). In three-group comparisons (non/single/multiple), CES-DC, SCARED, and PSS differed significantly, with single and multiple FGID groups exceeding non-FGID. In subgroup analyses, IBS-related groups showed higher anxiety and stress than non-FGID, whereas the single FC subtype did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSION: Among child and adolescent psychiatric outpatients, the proportion meeting the Rome III criteria for FGIDs was high and was significantly associated with psychological burden. These findings support integrating gastrointestinal symptom screening with mental health assessments at intake, with risk-stratified management for IBS-related presentations.

Key numbers

95 of 137

Prevalence of

Participants meeting the for .

41.57

Psychological Scale Scores

Mean SCARED score for FGID group.

34.13

Psychological Scale Scores

Mean CES-DC score for FGID group.

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Investigating the Gut–Brain Axis in Adolescents With Mood Disorders and Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Abstract

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