Research Director

Yoshiko Takahashi, Ph.D.

Kyoto University
Professor

Outline

The gut in our body strongly maintains homeostasis, and digests food and absorbs nutrients steadily irrespective of environmental changes to which it is exposed. Disruption of the gut homeostasis by stress or other stimuli is thought to cause a variety of gut disorders including irritable bowel syndrome. The exact cause of these disorders, however, remains unknown. In this project, we aim to elucidate the functional connectivity between the gut and the central nervous system (gut-brain axis) by examining the autonomic nervous system, and to obtain vital knowledge toward the development of new strategies for treating gut homeostasis-related disorders.