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Related Concept Videos

Gut-Brain Axis01:22

Gut-Brain Axis

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology01:24

Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology

Cirrhosis is a progressive chronic liver injury caused by prolonged inflammation, excessive fibrotic remodeling, and impaired regeneration. Over time, repeated hepatic insults disrupt the liver’s architecture and function, leading to reduced blood flow, impaired bile drainage, and diminished metabolic capacity.Pathophysiology of cirrhosisCirrhosis arises from three main responses to chronic liver damage: inflammation, immune activation, and hepatocyte death. These processes lead to structural...
Hepatic Encephalopathy01:29

Hepatic Encephalopathy

DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...
Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology01:17

Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology

Gastritis is marked by disruption of the mucosal barrier that usually protects the stomach tissue from digestive juices and manifests in acute and chronic forms.
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Gastritis II: Pathophysiology01:26

Gastritis II: Pathophysiology

The pathophysiology of gastritis begins with the colonization of the stomach lining by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium spreads mainly via the oral-oral route through saliva or shared utensils, and can also be transmitted in overcrowded or unhygienic environments through contaminated water, despite its brief survival outside the body.ColonizationOnce ingested, H. pylori enters the stomach and begins colonization by navigating through the mucus layer lining the stomach wall. It...
Liver Physiology01:30

Liver Physiology

The liver, an essential organ in the human body, performs over 200 vital functions that can be broadly categorized into metabolic, hematological, endocrine regulation, and bile production.
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of  70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can also...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Long Term Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy Imaging of Immune Cells in Healthy and Diseased Liver Using CXCR6.Gfp Reporter Mice
11:44

Long Term Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy Imaging of Immune Cells in Healthy and Diseased Liver Using CXCR6.Gfp Reporter Mice

Published on: March 24, 2015

Liver-brain inflammation axis.

Charlotte D'Mello1, Mark G Swain

  • 1Snyder Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, Liver Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

American Journal of Physiology. Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
|August 27, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Peripheral liver inflammation triggers sickness behaviors via brain immune cell activation and monocyte infiltration. Understanding these liver-brain communication pathways may reveal new therapeutic targets for liver disease symptoms.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Long Term Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy Imaging of Immune Cells in Healthy and Diseased Liver Using CXCR6.Gfp Reporter Mice
11:44

Long Term Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy Imaging of Immune Cells in Healthy and Diseased Liver Using CXCR6.Gfp Reporter Mice

Published on: March 24, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Hepatology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

  • Peripheral inflammatory diseases, like chronic liver disease, are linked to central nervous system changes affecting behavior.
  • Sickness behaviors (fatigue, cognitive issues, mood disorders, sleep disturbances) significantly impair quality of life in liver disease patients.
  • The precise brain mechanisms and liver-brain communication pathways underlying these behavioral changes remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the immune-mediated communication pathways between the liver and the brain in experimentally induced liver inflammation.
  • To identify the central neural mechanisms driving sickness behaviors associated with liver inflammation.
  • To explore potential therapeutic targets for mitigating liver disease-related symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated immune cell activation within the brain, specifically microglia.
  • Examined the transmigration of peripheral circulating monocytes into the brain.
  • Analyzed alterations in central neurotransmitter systems, including serotonergic and corticotropin-releasing hormone pathways.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated an immune-mediated pathway involving microglia activation and monocyte infiltration into the brain during liver inflammation.
  • Identified alterations in central neurotransmitter systems, specifically serotonergic and corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling.
  • Linked these neural changes to the development of sickness behaviors in the context of liver inflammation.

Conclusions:

  • Liver inflammation engages novel immune-mediated communication pathways to the brain, involving resident microglia and infiltrating monocytes.
  • These pathways alter central neurotransmitter systems, contributing to sickness behaviors observed in liver disease.
  • Elucidating these liver-brain signaling mechanisms offers opportunities for developing targeted therapies to improve patient outcomes.