Abstract: Poultry grown under intensive breeding conditions are exposed to a variety of challenges,including immune stress,heat stress,cold stress,oxidative stress and density stress.Stress factors have negative impacts on growth performance,immunity,disease resistance,meat and egg quality.The gut microbiota is essential for metabolism of nutrients,regulation of the immune system,and pathogen clearance.There is an interactive relationship between stress and intestinal microbiota.Stress can alter the structure and function of the intestinal microbiota,resulting in gut microbiota dysbiosis,which finally affect the health and performance of poultry.Intestinal microbiota can influence brain function via microbiota-gut-brain axis connections at the same time,so as to change behavior and emotions.The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a complex neural loop in which the gut,nerve,immune system and endocrine systems interact.Gut microbiota mediates the function of the microbiota-gut-brain axis by producing metabolites,regulating immune function and modulating neurotransmission.Furthermore,gut microbiota is able to affect brain function through interfering with the metabolism of neurotransmitters.In order to provide a theoretical foundation for alleviating stress through regulation of the gut microbiota,the author reviewed the effects of several major stresses on the intestinal microbiota of poultry and the bidirectional communication between stress and intestinal microbiome through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Key words: poultry; stress; gut microbes; microbiota-gut-brain axis