Chair: Pr. Premysl Bercik, McMaster University, Canada

This symposium will review the recent evidence linking the brain-gut axis to chronic intestinal inflammation and explore putative mechanisms that underlie chronic abdominal pain, anxiety and depression. We will present and discuss data from clinical studies and preclinical models investigating the role of environmental factors, such as stress, diet and microbiome on immune homeostasis and chronic intestinal inflammation

Microbiota-gut-brain axis: From Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Pr. Premysl Bercik, McMaster University, Canada

Neuroimmune mechanisms of visceral sensitization
Dr. Christophe Altier, University of Calgary, Canada

Role of stress and the brain-gut axis in inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders
Dr. Muriel Larauche, UCLA, USA

The role of the brain-gut axis in the development of chronic pain in IBD
Dr. Qasim Aziz, University College London, UK