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Updated: Dec 30, 2025

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The microbiota and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, implications for anxiety and stress

Linoy Mia Frankiensztajn1, Evan Elliott1, Omry Koren1

  • 1Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|January 24, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The gut microbiota influences newborn neurodevelopment and stress response via the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Maternal and commensal microbes are crucial for developing the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Microbiology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The microbiome-gut-brain axis links gut microbiota to brain function, impacting emotions and cognition.
  • Gut microbiota is crucial for newborn development, with dysbiosis potentially leading to altered neurodevelopment.
  • The newborn hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, key for stress response, is initially undeveloped.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how gut microbiota composition affects the normal development of the HPA axis in newborns.
  • To review the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and the HPA axis.
  • To explore the role of maternal and commensal microbiota in HPA axis and stress response development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent findings on the microbiome-gut-brain axis.
  • Analysis of studies investigating microbiota influence on HPA axis development.
  • Synthesis of research on maternal and commensal microbiota's role in stress response.

Main Results:

  • Changes in commensal microbiota composition significantly influence HPA axis development.
  • Evidence highlights essential crosstalk between gut microbiota and the HPA axis.
  • Maternal and commensal microbiota play a critical role in shaping the HPA axis and stress reactivity.

Conclusions:

  • The gut microbiota is a key regulator of HPA axis development and function in newborns.
  • Early-life microbial colonization is vital for establishing a healthy stress response system.
  • Targeting the microbiome may offer therapeutic strategies for neurodevelopmental and stress-related disorders.

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