GJA1 and irritable bowel syndrome: Studies have found that IBS visceral hypersensitivity synchronously affects MT and ACC activation, enhances MT-ACC synaptic field potential, activates the MT-ACC pathway, and upregulates the expression of gap junction protein connexion43 (Cx43) and excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) in astrocytes [7, 8, 38].