Stellate ganglion block attenuates gut barrier injury in sleep-deprived rats in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Preclinical animal model (rats)
PubMed 42315619 · doi:10.1038/s41598-026-57990-5
What was done
Rats were studied across two phases. In phase one, rats were randomly allocated to control (CON), SD1, SD3, SD5, and SD7 groups (n = 4–6 per group) undergoing sleep deprivation for 0, 1, 3, 5, or 7 days to identify peak intestinal injury using Evans blue staining. In phase two, rats were assigned to six groups (n = 5–6 per group): CON, SD, SD + stellate ganglion block (SGB), antibiotics (ABX), ABX + SD, and ABX + SD + SGB. Intestinal barrier function was evaluated by crypt depth, mucosal thickness, goblet cell count, and tight junction proteins (Occludin, ZO-1). Gut microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fecal metabolites by LC-MS untargeted metabolomics.
What was found
Intestinal permeability peaked at 7 days of sleep deprivation, showing an approximately 4-fold increase compared with CON (p < 0.0001). SD caused reductions in crypt depth (~56%), mucosal thickness (~59%), and goblet cell count (~45%) relative to CON (all p < 0.01). SGB restored mucosal thickness and goblet cell count to approximately 78% and 97% of CON levels, respectively, and recovered Occludin expression, which had decreased to ~38% of CON in the SD group (p < 0.05). SGB also modulated gut microbiota composition and counteracted SD-induced shifts in inflammatory lipids and amino acid metabolites. These protective effects of SGB were absent in antibiotic-treated pseudo-germ-free rats.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates in a rodent model that autonomic modulation via stellate ganglion block can protect intestinal barrier integrity against severe sleep deprivation through gut microbiota-dependent pathways.
Limits
This is an animal study with small sample sizes per group (n = 4–6). Rodent sleep deprivation models and manual block techniques may not translate directly to clinical human sleep disorders or medical SGB interventions.
Cited by
- supports Ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and poor sleep have been shown to increase intestinal permeability.