Stress and the gastrointestinal tract II. Stress and intestinal barrier function

The influence of stress on the clinical course of a number of intestinal di seases is increasingly being recognized, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This themes article focuses on recent findings related to the effects of stress on mucosal barrier function in the small intestine an d colon. Experiments using animal models demonstrate that various types of psychological and physical stress induce dysfunction of the intestinal barr ier, resulting in enhanced uptake of potentially noxious material (e.g., an tigens, toxins, and other proinflammatory molecules) from the gut lumen. Ev idence from several studies indicates that in this process, mucosal mast ce lls play an important role, possibly activated via neurons releasing cortic otropin-releasing hormone and/or acetylcholine. Defining the role of specif ic cells and mediator molecules in stress-induced barrier dysfunction may p rovide clues to novel treatments for intestinal disorders.