The gut–brain axis is a complex bidirectional communication network linking the gastrointestinal system and the brain through neural, endocrine, immune, and microbial pathways. Growing evidence suggests that gut microbiota play a central role in regulating brain function, behavior, emotional responses, and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders.

Our research in the Gut–Brain Axis field focuses on understanding how interactions between the gut and the brain influence behavior, stress responses, and susceptibility to affective disorders. In line with our broader mission to uncover the biological basis of stress-related psychiatric conditions, we investigate how the gut microbiome, together with immune and hormonal signaling, contributes to behavioral resilience or vulnerability.

Using our unique mouse models of dominance and submissiveness, which represent opposite stress-response phenotypes, we identify distinct gut microbiome compositions associated with behavioral traits and depressive-like behaviors. We further examine how modulation of the gut microbiome affects brain function and behavior, potentially through inflammatory, neural, and hormonal signaling mechanisms.

Our work aims to advance the understanding of microbiome–gut–brain interactions and support the development of targeted therapeutic strategies for stress-related behavioral and affective disorders.