Call for papers - Disorders of gut-brain interaction

Guest Editors

Ioana-Miruna Balmus, PhD, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania; Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania
Gerard Clarke, PhD, University College Cork, Ireland

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 4 March 2025

BMC Gastroenterology invites submissions for our upcoming Collection on Disorders of gut-brain interaction (formerly designated functional gastrointestinal disorders), which aims to elucidate the interplay between the gut and the brain and its implications for human health and disease. The bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, facilitated by neural, endocrine, and immune pathways, influences not only digestive processes but also mood, cognition, and behavior. We invite submissions exploring various aspects of gut-brain interaction, including mechanisms of communication, the role of the gut microbiota, dietary impacts, and therapeutic interventions.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Ioana-Miruna Balmus, PhD, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania; Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania

Ioana-Miruna Balmus is currently a young and passionate specialist in Biomedical Research within the area of Biology, often addressing interdisciplinary approaches. Her experience is mainly focussed on Neurophysiology, Neurogastroenterology, and the gut-brain axis impairments, as they can be observed in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. During her PhD and postdoc training, she also gained extensive expertise in animal models used in Neurophysiology research, as well as in the research of several aspects concerning the biochemical and genetical variations underlying neurodegeneration and physiological response to various stimuli.

Gerard Clarke, PhD, University College Cork, Ireland

Prof Clarke is Professor of Neurobehavioural Science in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science and a PI in APC Microbiome Ireland. His research interests include translational biomarkers of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, the impact of the gut microbiome on brain and behaviour across the life span and microbial regulation of tryptophan metabolism. Target human populations of his research include those with major depression and anxiety as well as gastrointestinal disorders with high psychiatric comorbidities such as irritable bowel syndrome (e.g. as part of EU Horizon 2020 DISCOvERIE Consortium).

About the Collection

BMC Gastroenterology welcomes submissions for our upcoming Collection on Disorders of gut-brain interaction. Ever since the famous pavlovian experiments we know that bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain occurs via neural, endocrine, and immune pathways, influencing not only digestive processes but also mood, cognition, and behavior.

Recent advances in neuroscience, microbiology, and gastroenterology have shed light on the role of the gut microbiota in modulating gut-brain communication. For instance, compositional and functional alterations in the gut microbiota have been implicated in a spectrum of GI disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional dyspepsia, as well as neuropsychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. Furthermore, interdisciplinary research has led to the identification of specific microbial taxa associated with disease states and the development of microbiota-based interventions like fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.

Elucidating the role of the microbiota in gut-brain axis dysfunction has opened new avenues for personalized medicine, where interventions can be tailored based on an individual's gut microbiota profile and neurobiological characteristics. Looking ahead, continued interdisciplinary collaboration holds promise for novel diagnostic tools, precision therapies, and preventive strategies targeting not only gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric disorders but also systemic conditions influenced by gut-brain axis dysregulation.

We invite submissions that explore various aspects of disorders of gut-brain interaction, including but not limited to:

Enteric nervous system function in gut-brain axis
Neural, hormonal, and immunological mechanisms of gut-brain communication
Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy in functional dyspepsia management
Psychogastroenterology including gut directed hypnotherapy
Microbiome influence on mood regulation
Pain mechanisms and visceral hypersensitivity
Stress response and gut health connection
Hormonal signaling in gut-brain communication
Novel biomarkers for diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
Gut microbiota composition and function in irritable bowel syndrome patients
Epidemiology of disorders of gut-brain interaction
Sex differences in disorders of gut-brain interaction
Psychiatric comorbidity in disorders of gut-brain interaction
Role of stress in functional dyspepsia pathophysiology
Nutritional interventions for modulating gut-brain axis

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Disorders of gut-brain interaction" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.