Barrier restoration as a therapeutic strategy for disorders of gut-brain interaction.

Restoring gut barrier function with targeted therapies may transform treatment of disorders of gut-brain interaction.

• Why it matters: Disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia are increasingly linked to defects in gut barrier integrity, yet current treatments mainly address symptoms without directly repairing the epithelial barrier.
• What they did: The review examines cellular and molecular pathways of gut barrier function and evaluates evidence for diet, microbiome interventions, stress management, pharmacological agents, and emerging technologies in restoring intestinal permeability, highlighting 15 specific therapeutic strategies.
• The result: These approaches show potential to shift treatment from symptom management to personalized disease modification, but require validation in clinical trials with targeted endpoints and patient stratification.