How stress changes brain-gut signals that cause gut inflammation and leaky gut
Official title: Brain-gut interactions regulating stress-related gut inflammation and barrier permeability
Funded at New York University · NIH-11456851 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how stress-driven brain signals cause gut inflammation and increased intestinal leakiness that may underlie IBS and stress-related depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00DK137037-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11456851 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), especially those whose symptoms worsen with stress or who also have depression or anxiety, are most likely to benefit from the findings of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate new therapies, those without stress-related gut symptoms, or those with primarily structural gastrointestinal diseases are unlikely to receive direct short-term benefits from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a mouse model of chronic social stress to mimic long-term emotional stress and measure resulting gut inflammation and barrier leakiness. They will trace nerve pathways from the gut to the brain and use whole-brain imaging to identify which brain regions become active with stress. The team will manipulate those specific brain circuits to see whether changing their activity alters gut inflammation and intestinal permeability, studying both male and female animals. The goal is to reveal mechanisms that could point to new treatment targets for stress-related gut problems like IBS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain circuits and biological mechanisms that drive stress-related gut inflammation and barrier disruption, pointing to new targets for treatments for IBS and related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown that chronic stress can increase gut inflammation and permeability, but directly mapping and manipulating specific brain-to-gut circuits is a newer preclinical approach with limited translation to humans so far.
Where this research is happening
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New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chan, Kenny — New York University
- Study coordinator: Chan, Kenny
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.