Chronic stress induces hypersensitivity of murine gastric vagal afferents

Abstract

Background Stress exposure is known to trigger and exacerbate functional dyspepsia (FD) symptoms. Increased gastric sensitivity to food‐related stimuli is widely observed in FD patients and is associated with stress and psychological disorders. The mechanisms underlying the hypersensitivity are not clear. Gastric vagal afferents (GVAs) play an important role in sensing meal‐related mechanical stimulation to modulate gastrointestinal function and food intake. This study aimed to determine whether GVAs display hypersensitivity after chronic stress, and whether its interaction with leptin was altered by stress. Methods Eight‐week‐old male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to unpredictable chronic mild..