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. 2023 Feb;47(1):151694.
doi: 10.1016/j.semperi.2022.151694. Epub 2022 Dec 20.

Neurodevelopmental outcome of infants who develop necrotizing enterocolitis: The gut-brain axis

Jing Lu  1 , Camilia R Martin  2 , Erika C Claud  3
Affiliations

Neurodevelopmental outcome of infants who develop necrotizing enterocolitis: The gut-brain axis

Jing Lu et al. Semin Perinatol. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) poses a significant risk for neurodevelopmental impairment in extremely preterm infants. The gut microbiota shapes the development of the gut, immune system, and the brain; and dysbiosis drive neonatal morbidities including NEC. In this chapter, we delineate a gut-brain axis linking gut microbiota to the adverse neurological outcomes in NEC patients. We propose that in NEC, immaturity of the microbiome along with aberrant gut microbiota-driven immaturity of the gut barrier and immune system can lead to effects including systemic inflammation and circulating microbial mediators. This nexus of gut microbiota-driven systemic effects further interacts with a likewise underdeveloped blood-brain barrier to regulate neuroinflammation and neurodevelopment. Targeting deviant gut-brain axis signaling presents an opportunity to improve the neurodevelopmental outcomes of NEC patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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