[Pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome: current understanding].

Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most frequent functional bowel disorders. The pathogenesis of the condition is not completely understood, but an alteration of the neural circuits that regulate the sensory-motor homeostatic reflex responses to visceral stimuli is involved. The causes of this alteration are unknown and include both genetic and environmental factors, such as a previous gastrointestinal infection. A more precise definition of the pathogenesis of the condition might help to develop more effective treatments to correct the altered sensitive and motor reflex responses in the patients.