L’intestino: il secondo cervello e le sue connessioni con il sistema nervoso centrale

Fascicolo monotematico "Disturbi funzionali nel bambino"

Marcella Pesce 1, Federica Pruccoli 1 , 3, Osvaldo Borrelli 1

¹Department of Gastroenterology, Division of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London²Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II; 3 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and ReggDepartment of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II³Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Although the conceptual premises for a braingut interaction have been known from decades, the mechanisms underlying this bidirectional cross-talk have not been systematically clarified yet. Abundant evidence has been provided for a brain-to-gut influence; whilst only recently, a new ascending pathway (gut-to-brain) is emerging, with some intriguing reports highlighting a role for the gut and the microbiota in brain development and function in health and disease.