====== Gut-brain axis ======

The [[gut]]-[[brain]] axis (GBA) consists of bidirectional communication between the central and the [[enteric nervous system]], linking the [[emotion]]al and cognitive centers of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions.
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Using [[Caenorhabditis elegans]] as a model, Shi et al. uncover that a [[Wnt signaling pathway]] in the [[gut]] regulates synaptic development in the brain. A canonical Wnt signaling pathway promotes [[synapse]] formation through regulating the expression of the [[neuropeptide]]s encoding gene nlp-40 in the gut, which functions through the neuronally expressed GPCR/AEX-2 receptor during development. Wnt-NLP-40-AEX-2 signaling likely acts to modulate neuronal activity. The study revealed a genetic role of the [[gut]] in [[synaptogenesis]] and identifies a novel contribution of the [[gut-brain axis]]
((Shi Y, Qin L, Wu M, Zheng J, Xie T, Shao Z. Gut neuroendocrine signaling regulates synaptic assembly in C. elegans. EMBO Rep. 2022 Jun 24:e53267. doi: 10.15252/embr.202153267. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35748387.))