Depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with celiac disease - co-occurrence and mutual dependencies

It is estimated that approximately 1% to 3% of people in the world suffer from celiac disease, which mainly affects Caucasians. The HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 haplotypes present in the majority of the European population diagnosed with celiac disease are helpful in diagnosing the disease. The main symptom is chronic inflammation of the small intestine and atrophy of the intestinal villi, but neurological and psychopathological symptoms, such as depression or severe anxiety, may also occur. Numerous studies show that a gluten-free diet alleviates the psychological symptoms associated with celiac disease. However, strict dietary requirements often constitute a challenge for patients, changing their current lifestyle and limiting its comfort. In patients with celiac disease, increased symptoms of depression and anxiety are observed, and the duration of the disease affects the severity of the above symptoms. Currently, therapeutic benefits are attributed especially to a gluten-free diet, but recent scientific reports indicate a comparable clinical effect in patients using probiotics. The course of the disease is also influenced by the emotional support of the patient's family, causing a milder course of the disease. Caregivers of patients should pay special attention to the symptoms of anxiety and depression in their patients, because they are often unnoticed, which leads to an unfavourable course of the disease.