Extreme stressful incidents or even prolonged mild stress, whether physiological, psychosocial, or both, has been connected with development of chronic inflammation. Seemingly dissimilar medical conditions have been linked to this inflammatory state with weakened immune response, cancer, and metabolic and psychiatric disorders. Alteration of the gut microbiome is a common feature of these conditions and influences physiological functions throughout the body via bidirectional communication with the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Here, we propose that stress sensitivity, whether inborn or acquired, induces alterations in intestinal permeability and the gut microbiome to establish and stabilize chronic inflammatory states. Thus, treatment of chronic inflammation as a component of any disease should also involve the restoration of intestinal tight junction fidelity and a healthy intestinal microbial ecosystem.
Linking stress and inflammation - is there a missing piece in the puzzle?