REVIEW article
Front. Cell. Neurosci.
Sec. Non-Neuronal Cells
Airway Sensory Systems: Breathing new life into microbiota-brain communication
Provisionally accepted
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
The essential role of the lungs in gas exchange necessitates exposure to possible threats from a dynamic external environment. To protect life-critical functions the airways contain multiple systems that monitor the inhaled environment and elicit appropriate defensive responses. As such the airways represent a key sensory surface with multiple signaling pathways to the brain. Despite the presence of rich and diverse bacterial communities in both upper and lower airways, the respiratory tract has been relatively overlooked compared to the gut regarding its potential as an interface between microbes and the central nervous system. This review draws attention to the respiratory system, specifically the nasal cavity and lungs, and the evidence supporting a microbiota-airway-brain axis. We highlight the olfactory system and the role of the lungs as a sensory organ, monitoring the inhaled environment, as clear examples of airway-brain communication and identify how these communication pathways can be engaged by microbes. We also outline the relationship between the airways and mental health and present the case that the nasal and lung microbiota should be considered alongside that of the gut as potential influencers of brain function, mood, and behaviour.
Keywords: Asthma, COPD, Lung-brain axis, Mental Health, Olfaction
Received: 21 May 2025; Accepted: 10 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Mann-Nüttel, Armbruster, Mandal and Forsythe. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Paul Forsythe, pforsyt1@ualberta.ca
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.