The impact of acute and chronic stress on gastrointestinal physiology and function: a microbiota–gut–brain axis perspective
Abstract
The physiological consequences of stress often manifest in the gastrointestinal tract. Traumatic or chronic stress is associated with widespread maladaptive changes throughout the gut, although comparatively little is known about the effects of acute stress. Furthermore, these stress‐induced changes in the gut may increase susceptibility to gastrointestinal disorders and infection, and impact critical features of the neural and behavioural consequences of the stress response by impairing gut–brain axis communication. Understanding the mechanisms behind changes in enteric nervous system circuitry, visceral sensitivity, gut barrier function, permeability, and the gut microbiota following stress is an important research objective with pathophysiological implications in both neurogastroenterology and psychiatry. Moreover, the gut microbiota has emerged as a key aspect of physiology sensitive to the effects of stress. In this review, we focus on different aspects of the gastrointestinal tract including gut barrier function as well as the immune, humoral and neuronal elements involved in gut–brain communication. Furthermore, we discuss the evidence for a role of stress in gastrointestinal disorders. Existing gaps in the current literature are highlighted, and possible avenues for future research with an integrated physiological perspective have been suggested. A more complete understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the integrated host and microbial response to different kinds of stressors in the gastrointestinal tract will enable full exploitation of the diagnostic and therapeutic potential in the fast‐evolving field of host–microbiome interactions. image
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 27, 2023
- Source ID
- 10.1113/jp281951
Entities
People
- Cassandra E. Gheorghe
- Friederike Uhlig
- Gerard Clarke
- John F. Cryan
- Lars Wilmes
- Michael S Goodson
- Nancy Kelley‐loughnane
- Niall P. Hyland
- Paula Sanchez‐diaz
- Sarah-Jane Leigh
Organizations
- 711th Human Performance Wing
- Air Force Research Laboratory
- Horizon 2020
- Irish Research Council
- Science Foundation Ireland
- University College Cork