Sadness causes a physical sensation of pain in the stomach via the gut-brain axis
Psychological distress, including sadness and anxiety, frequently manifests as physical discomfort or pain in the gastrointestinal tract, mediated by bidirectional signaling along the gut-brain axis.
The claim posits that sadness causes physical stomach pain via the gut-brain axis. The retrieved literature extensively documents the bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis, confirming that emotional states (such as depression, anxiety, and psychological stress) are closely linked to visceral hypersensitivity, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. While emotional states can trigger or exacerbate gut sensations, and vice versa, the mechanistic connection via autonomic, neuroendocrine, and neuroimmune pathways is well supported by multiple reviews on disorders of gut-brain interaction.
Zhang Y, Gao L, Cao J, Zhang T, Wang X. Mapping the neuroimaging landscape of inflammatory bowel disease: a bibliometric analysis and systematic scoping review.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2026.1821831
The study notes that brain alterations within emotional networks are associated with abdominal pain, anxiety, and depression via the brain-gut axis.
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Zieliński D, Tokarczyk K, Piegza M. Selected Parameters of the Mental State of Women with Endometriosis-A Systematic Review.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15103598
This review highlights that psychological distress and mood disorders strongly correlate with chronic visceral and pelvic pain conditions through neuroimmune and gut-brain interactions.
Ezgin N, Šutulović N, Djurić E, Milošević S, Vesković M, Mladenović D, Rašić-Marković A, Stanojlović O, Hrnčić D. Neurobiology of Anxiety and Depression in CP/CPPS: A Narrative Review of Underlying Mechanisms.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint18040069
This review discusses how affective disorders like depression and anxiety interact with central pain pathways and neurobiological mechanisms in chronic pain syndromes.
Bai Y, Yu M, Weng C, Xu J, Zheng M, Lv B. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in irritable bowel syndrome: pathophysiology and therapeutic implications.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2026.1832540
This study demonstrates that sympathovagal imbalance and autonomic dysfunction link psychological and stress factors with gastrointestinal symptom severity via bidirectional brain-gut communication.
Quigley EMM. The Gut-Brain Axis-From Science to Clinical Practice.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gastha.2026.100975
This review explains that emotional stress and brain states can significantly impact gastrointestinal function and trigger visceral pain perception through autonomic and neuroendocrine pathways.
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