Potential rat model of anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity induced by sequential stress.

Aim: To establish a rat model of anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity (GHS) of functional dyspepsia (FD) induced by novel sequential stress.

Methods: Animal pups were divided into two groups from postnatal day 2: controls and the sequential-stress-treated. The sequential-stress-treated group received maternal separation and acute gastric irritation early in life and restraint stress in adulthood; controls were reared undisturbed with their mothers.