Shared Mechanisms and Lifelong Interactions Between the Nervous and Digestive Systems

Neurological disorders are frequently accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms. The close and bidirectional relationship between the nervous system and the digestive system has been verified. From fetal life through early childhood, the central and enteric nervous systems develop in parallel, during which neural regulation of intestinal motility, secretion, immunity, and barrier function is gradually established. Disturbances during these critical periods may contribute to both neurological and gastrointestinal pathology later in life.

The clinical burden of pediatric neurological diseases, congenital digestive malformations, and functional gastrointestinal disorders has increased steadily. At the same time, advances in pediatric neuroscience, neurogastroenterology, and translational research have provided new insights into gut–brain communication, neuroinflammatory pathways, and nervous system involvement in digestive diseases. Despite this progress, studies remain discipline-specific, and integrated clinical and mechanistic investigations are still limited. There is a clear need for a focused platform to bring together emerging evidence on nervous–digestive system interactions in thes populations.

Goal

This Research Topic focuses on neurological and neurosurgical diseases that involve or affect the digestive system, as well as digestive system disorders with neural or neuroregulatory components, across the lifespan. The collection aims to examine shared developmental, structural, and mechanistic pathways linking the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, including neural regulation, neuro-immune interactions, and neuroinflammatory processes. By integrating clinical observations with experimental and translational research, this Research Topic seeks to advance understanding of nervous–digestive system interactions in both pediatric and adult populations. Particular emphasis is placed on clinically relevant mechanisms that may inform diagnosis, surgical decision-making, and therapeutic strategies in neurosurgical, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases.

Scope and Information for Authors

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and clinical studies addressing nervous–digestive system interactions in neurological, neurosurgical, and gastrointestinal diseases across different age groups. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

● Neurological and neurosurgical diseases, which may involve gastrointestinal system
● Digestive system diseases with neural, neurodevelopmental, or neuroregulatory mechanisms
● Development, injury, or dysfunction of the enteric nervous system
● Neural control of gastrointestinal motility, secretion, immunity, and barrier integrity
● Neuroinflammation and neuro-immune pathways affecting the digestive system
● Gut–brain interactions in functional and structural gastrointestinal disorders
● Digestive complications associated with central nervous system tumors or neurosurgical interventions
● Translational studies linking clinical findings with experimental or mechanistic data

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Neurological and neurosurgical diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, nervous system–digestive system interaction, gut–brain axis, neuro-immune regulation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.