by Morozova M.V. | Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic and relapsing inflammatory disorders of the
gastrointestinal tract with complex etiology and no strategies for complete cure. IBD are
often complicated by mental disorders like anxiety and depression, indicating substantial
shifts in the gut-brain axis. However, the mechanisms connecting IBD to mental diseases
are still under debate. Here we use Muc2 mutant mouse model of chronic colitis to uncouple
the effects of the intestinal microbiota on host behavior from chronic inflammation in the
gut.