Highlight
– Early life stress (ELS) disrupts gut motility and increases visceral pain sensitivity through changes in enteric nervous system (ENS) neurochemistry and sympathetic innervation.
– Sex hormones modulate ELS effects, as shown by reversal of symptoms following gonadal hormone suppression.
– Preclinical findings in mice are supported by human pediatric data linking maternal mental health disorders with heightened risk of disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI).
– Targeting sympathetic overactivity and ENS changes offers potential therapeutic avenues for ELS-associated gastrointestinal dysfunction.
