[Neutral factors in gastrointestinal diseases]

The study of the relationship between gastroenterologic diseases and/or symptoms and mental factors still presents serious problems both to internal medicine and to neuropsychiatry. According to recent findings, the influence of psychological factors is not essential in the etiology and pathogenesis. However, it seems to play an important role on the levels of syndrome formation and of the situational interaction system. Diagnostic and therapeutic consequences are discussed, with special emphasis on the diagnostic problem of patients with endogenous depression who complain mainly of gastroenterologic symptoms.