Exploring Gut Neuroimmunology - Part 2: Enteric Nervous System Mechanisms in Mood and Mental Health

Building on the success and momentum of the initial collection, Part 2 of this Research Topic seeks to further deepen our understanding of the enteric nervous system (ENS) and its role in gut-brain communication, with a particular focus on mood and mental health outcomes. The gut-brain axis represents a complex, bidirectional network linking the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, with the ENS functioning as a key regulator of gut physiology, neuroimmune interactions, and microbial signaling.

Dysregulation of these interconnected systems has been increasingly implicated in a wide range of neurological, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, inflammatory bowel disease, and post-stroke complications. Growing evidence suggests that alterations in microbiome composition, mucosal immunity, barrier integrity, and ENS signaling contribute to both brain function and mental health, highlighting the need for integrative and mechanistic investigation.

This expanded collection welcomes research exploring fundamental and translational mechanisms underlying ENS function and gut neuroimmunology, including microbiome–host signaling, immune-neural crosstalk, barrier regulation, and interactions with the central and autonomic nervous systems. Studies incorporating translational or clinical perspectives, identifying therapeutic opportunities, or examining environmental, nutritional, and lifestyle influences on gut–brain communication are particularly encouraged.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Microbiome-host interactions and their impact on ENS function, neurological health, and psychiatric manifestations
• Mucosal immune mechanisms and ENS crosstalk in health and disease
• Integrity and regulation of gut epithelial, blood-nerve, and blood-brain barriers
• Roles of ENS signaling in neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, and psychiatric disorders
• Nutritional, pharmacological, and environmental modulators of gut–brain communication
• The bidirectional relationship between stress and gut microflora
• Translational approaches, biomarkers, and therapeutic strategies targeting the gut-brain axis
• Systems-level, multi-omics, and neuroimaging studies revealing mechanisms of ENS-gut-brain interaction
• Gut microflora and mental health outcomes

Submissions should emphasize integrative and mechanistic investigations that advance understanding of the gut-brain axis and are relevant to multidisciplinary audiences and clinical applications. Research that moves beyond purely methodological work (e.g., sequencing or staining techniques) to elucidate functional implications and identify putative therapeutic targets and strategies is particularly encouraged.

This collection continues to align with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and welcomes Original Research articles, Reviews, and Meta-Analyses that advance understanding of ENS function, gut neuroimmunology, gut-brain communication, and their relevance to mood and mental health.