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Scientists link childhood stress to lifelong digestive issues

Childhood stress doesn’t just affect the mind—it may quietly reshape the gut for life.

Date:

March 17, 2026

Source:

New York University

Summary:

Early life stress may set the stage for long-term digestive problems by disrupting the gut-brain connection. Studies in both mice and thousands of children found links to symptoms like pain, constipation, and IBS. Scientists discovered that different biological pathways control different gut issues, hinting at more personalized treatments in the future. The research also highlights how a child’s early environment can have lasting physical effects—not just emotional ones.

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FULL STORY

Stress in early life may rewire the gut-brain connection, increasing the risk of digestive disorders years later. Credit: Shutterstock

A new study published in Gastroenterology suggests that stress during early life may increase the risk of digestive problems later on. Researchers found that these effects are linked to changes in both the gut and the sympathetic nervous system.

"Our research shows that these stressors can have a real impact on a child's development and may influence gut issues long-term. Understanding the mechanisms involved can help us to create more targeted treatments," said study author Kara Margolis, director of the NYU Pain Research Center and professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry and pediatrics and cell biology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

How Early Stress Shapes Brain and Gut Development

Experiences such as emotional neglect and other forms of adversity can significantly influence a child's development. Studies indicate that stress during pregnancy and early childhood can affect how the brain develops and increase the risk of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

To better understand this connection, researchers at NYU College of Dentistry's Pain Research Center examined how early stress affects communication between the brain and the gut. This connection plays a key role in digestion, and disruptions can lead to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, and motility issues (e.g., constipation or diarrhea).

"When the brain is impacted, the gut is likely also impacted -- the two systems communicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Margolis. "There's some data showing that early life stress may be linked to gut disorders, but we wanted to take an in-depth look at the mechanisms and how these gut-brain pathways work."

Mouse Studies Reveal Lasting Effects of Early Stress

The research team investigated early life stress using mouse models along with two large studies involving children.

In the animal study, newborn mice were separated from their mothers for several hours each day to simulate early stress. When examined months later (at the equivalent of young adulthood), these mice showed increased anxiety-like behavior, gut pain, and problems with gut movement. The type of motility issue differed by sex, with females more likely to develop diarrhea and males more likely to experience constipation.

Further experiments showed that different biological pathways appear to control different symptoms. Disrupting sympathetic nerve signaling improved motility issues but did not reduce pain. In contrast, sex hormones influenced pain but not motility. Serotonin-related pathways were involved in both pain and gut movement.

"This suggests that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to treating disorders of gut-brain interaction, and that when patients experience different symptoms, we may have to target different pathways," said Margolis.

Human Studies Confirm Link Between Stress and Digestive Disorders

The findings from animal experiments were supported by two large human studies. One study followed more than 40,000 children in Denmark from birth to age 15. About half were born to mothers who experienced untreated depression during or after pregnancy.

Children of mothers with untreated depression had a higher risk of developing digestive conditions, including nausea and vomiting, functional constipation, colic, and irritable bowel syndrome. These results build on earlier work showing that children of mothers who took antidepressants during pregnancy were more likely to be diagnosed with functional constipation.

"Digestive outcomes for children seem to be even more profound when a mother's depression is left untreated, suggesting that mothers experiencing depression should be treated during pregnancy. This may include nonmedical measures like therapy, but some pregnant women may also require medications to treat their depression," said Margolis. "This finding also reinforces our commitment to developing antidepressants that do not reach the placenta -- a focus of many of our studies right now."

A second study analyzed data