BiomedicinesMay 4, 2026

Necrotizing Enterocolitis as a Disorder Linking Gut and Brain Development

Gut-Brain Axis Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated May 5, 2026

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) may disrupt early brain development in preterm infants.

Intestinal inflammation and microbial imbalance during NEC are associated with neurodevelopmental issues.
Failure of the epithelial barrier and systemic immune activation may contribute to brain development disruption.
Neurodevelopmental damage could be a primary feature of NEC rather than a secondary effect of prematurity.
Understanding NEC as a gut-brain axis disorder may impact research models and treatment strategies.

Simplified

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of illness and death in preterm infants and is increasingly linked to long-term neurodevelopmental issues among survivors. Usually seen as a gastrointestinal disease, NEC is rarely viewed from a brain-centered perspective. In this Perspective, we suggest that NEC should be understood as a disorder of the gut-brain axis affecting neurodevelopment. We combine clinical and experimental evidence showing that intestinal inflammation, microbial imbalance, epithelial barrier failure, and systemic immune activation during NEC all contribute to the disruption of early brain development. We contend that neurodevelopmental damage is a key feature of NEC rather than just a secondary effect of prematurity. Recognizing NEC as a gut-brain axis disorder is crucial for research models, treatment approaches, and assessing long-term outcomes in affected infants.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

PubMed

Necrotizing Enterocolitis as a Disorder Linking Gut and Brain Development

Abstract

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Abstract

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Funding

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Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

What Lands in Your Inbox Each Week:

Recent issues from the gut-brain axis brief